The Publisher of Blueprint Newspapers, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, has decried the impact of insecurity in Nigeria, noting that it is causing Nigerians sleepless nights, even as he called for concerted efforts from all to effectively address the challenge.
Addressing the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Kaduna state Annual Public Lecture and Awards with the theme: “Insecurity in Northern Nigeria, Implications to the Nation’s Economy” in Kaduna at the weekend, the Publisher said Nigeria has been impacted negatively by kidnapping, banditry, insurgency and other insecurities despite government efforts.
He however called on Nigerians; the private sector, individuals, governments at all tiers to cone together and rally round the security agencies to find and enduring solution to the challenges to enable Nigerians live their normal lives as it used to be.
“Insecurity has been a big challenge for all of us, it has given everybody sleepless nights. Government is doing its best to resolve the challenge but government alone cannot do it. The private sector, individuals, we all have to come together to provide synergy to resolve the challenge of insecurity in our country,” he said.
Speaking in an interview, Kaduna state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, who represented Governor Nasir el-Rufai at the occasion, said banditry started like infighting among Fulani people and was not immediately attended to before it became the monster it is now. He said failure to recourse to the law also fueled the challenge.
“The problem of banditry is affecting access to education, healthcare and rural economy. There is need for Nigerians to support our security agencies because we don’t have any other military, police not condemnation, not incitement. We will continue to do all that will bring end to these challenges. We will continue to partner with security agencies, community leaders, religious leaders even the media.
“We have a data of all bandits activities and people killed from the DSS, police, NSCDC, military among others. Banditry stated without being attended to because we see it as Fulani people killing themselves. Now bandits will carryout their criminalities and settled Fulani will be attacked for what they know nothing about, thereby causing a chain of attacks.
“Failure to recourse to the law is what is causing bloodshed across the country. People would say the Fulani want to take over their lands but it is not so. Lack of synergy among governors in the Northwest was a problem, we started it in 2015 but it was not sustained but we have restarted it again now. Katsina Kaduna and Niger state governments we are working towards same direction same as Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states,” he said.
National Chairman of Jamiyyar Mayan Arewa, Hajiya Rabi Saulawa, and General Manager Corporate Affairs, Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), Dr Godwin Nnadi, were presented with individual awards, while Blueprint Newspaper, NDA, Kaduna Electric among others were presented with corporate awards.
