Combating insecurity: Engage countries with technological capabilities, group tells FG

The Growth and Development of Northern Nigeria (GDNN), a pressure group, has appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria to be intentional in addressing security challenges in the country.

Malam Haruna Buhari, Acting Secretary, GDNN Public Policy Advocacy Unit, made the appeal at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

Buhari urged the Federal Government to engage friendly countries with technological capabilities to assist Nigeria in this regard.

He expressed worry over the persistent insecurity situation in parts of the country, saying that there was the need for drastic measures to address the situation.

According to him, we appeal to the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu to please engage genuinely friendly countries that have the technological capabilities in assisting us in bringing this challenge to a complete eradication.

“It is very clear that if the subsisting solution does not bring about the desired outcome, other options available may need to be explored.

“That is of course if truly we mean to eradicate the menace totally and not trying the same failed solutions again and again without success.”

He also charged Northern citizens and Nigerians generally to be obedient to constituted authorities, stressing that those in authority should however, not infringe on citizen’s right using coercion or intimidation.

Speaking on the fight against corruption, Buhari stressed the need for the government to focus more on blocking all openings making corruption easier and a more profitable business.

He also called on the Borno and the Federal Government to disengage completely from any further relationships with any, or a replica of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

He appreciated President Donald Trump, for dissolving the agency and for exposing its sharp practices in Nigeria and in several other countries of the world.

Buhari noted that the February revelations in the U.S. Senate, confirmed complicity of the agency’s activities in undermining Nigeria as a nation and several other emerging and developing countries.

He emphasised that Nigeria had enough human and material resources to support her needs and would not need hand-outs from international agencies that had been compromised.

“We must re-evaluate our relationships with all NGOs, donor agencies, UN Agencies and determine our critical essential needs.

“We must dictate terms of any subsequent future engagements and not just allow any of such agencies dictate terms and conditions of engagements to us as a desperately helpless set of people.

“All staff of any such agencies that Nigeria determines to work with, must be sourced from within the country and cleared by the office of NSA,” Buhari said.

He added that this must be done in consultation with the offices of the DSS Director-General, NIA Director-Genera, the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies.

“This is the only guarantee to our safety and security,” he added .

Buhari further expressed hope that the findings of the on-going investigations at the United States Senate on USAID and any similar such agencies would be made public, the guilty punished and safety valves installed.

According to him, this is critical to forestall sharp practices in future.

He called on governors of the 19 Northern States, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister to explore syndicating a single facility aimed at developing a regional railway network to connect the North-West and the North-East to other parts of the country.

He also called on the governors to prioritise agriculture, adding that it was currently the single highest contributor to the nation’s GDP and the highest provider of job and wealth creation.

He further called on all other states of the federation to develop similar plan as a direct response to the decision on the new VAT & Tax Bills.

The GDNN was inaugurated as an association of Northern citizens concerned about its development and challenges in 2017, with the objective to promote and facilitate investment and development in the region. (https://newsatlarge.ng)