President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned Boko Haram members, bandits, kidnappers and perpetrators of other forms of insecurity across the country to desist or be taken out by security agencies.
President Tinubu stated this Thursday at the inaugural News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) international lecture held in Abuja themed: “Insecurity in the Sahel (2008-2024); Dissecting Nigeria’s challenges. Genesis, Impacts and Options.”
Represented by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, President Tinubu said: “For 15 years we’ve been going through hell in this country. Bad people were doing what they liked.
“Enough is enough. It has to stop. It will stop. In the last one year, no fewer than 300 Boko Haram commanders have been eliminated while cases of kidnapping for ransom are on the decline.
“This is a warning to them. They have limited time. Examples have been set. They have seen what is happening to their own leaders, if they refuse to surrender, the same fate await them.
“The non-kinetic approach is still important. Our windows are open, our doors are open if you are ready to come and surrender and stop, otherwise you know what is going to happen to you, whoever you are.”
In tackling the security challenges, Tinubu said his administration adopted a multifaceted approach as enshrined in the Renewed Hope Agenda which prioritised security as a critical component of government focus.
“This administration in the last one year had put in place processes, policies and programs to achieve improved security, economic development, improved welfare for all Nigerians.
“In particular, our six key security objectives have included strengthening institutions and promoting accountability to address the root causes of insecurity as well as investing in job creation, infrastructure development, social services to reduce poverty and inequality.
“We have developed both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies in considerably eliminating the threats of Boko Haram, banditry, kidnapping for ransom and violent extremists,” he said.
“As an administration committed to uplifting the downtrodden from the shackles of poverty, we will continue to invest in job creation, infrastructure development and social services.
“As a chair of our regional bloc ECOWAS, we are strengthening regional collaboration with neighboring countries to share intelligence, coordinate security efforts and address common challenges.
“We are happy with what the Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa did, he visited Niger and hopefully things are beginning to look better with our bother and we will even do more. We want peace, we want security. We are not enemies with anybody.
“I am happy that we renewed onslaught by our gallant troops against enemies of our nation in the Northeast and North West. Our citizens can now heave a sigh of relief. We shall continue to provide our armed forces with the needed human and material resources to achieve success. No doubt there is no time other than now for all of us to work together to build a safer and more prosperous Nigeria,” he said.
…Abdulsalami
In his remarks, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who chaired the event, said Nigeria’s security challenges cannot be divorced from the security challenges in the Sahel, a vast landmass which encompasses the troubled countries of Burkina, Chad, Mali, and Cameroon.
He lamented that the Sahel remained a huge killing field despite efforts by successive governments.
“In the year 2020, a whopping 4,660 people were killed in this region, while another 2,600 civilians lost their lives in banditry attacks in 2021.
“Today, Your Excellencies, this region is still one huge killing field, in spite of the best efforts of successive governments there,” the ex-Nigeria’s leader said.
At the heart of the insecurity in the region, Abdulsalami said, were the undercurrents of poverty, unemployment, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, weak governance, and institutional failures, as well as climate change and environmental degradation.
He said the aforementioned factors had created a fertile ground for insecurity to thrive, with devastating impacts on our dear nation.
“We must not, however, lose faith in our capacity to ride above the storms of insecurity, since this challenge is the business of each and every Nigerian, and indeed, all Africans,” he said.
…Idris
In his remarks, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity in the country through improved investment in equipment, manpower, and intelligence gathering.
The acknowledged that the Sahel region has become a vortex of instability, violence, terrorism, organised crime, drug trafficking, smuggling of weapons and violent extremism with spillover effect on Nigeria due to the country’s porous borders with the region.
“Nigeria shares a long and porous border with several Sahelian countries caught up in conflict, making us vulnerable to the spillover effects of the conflict. This not only threatens our security but also challenges our capacity to maintain effective control over our borders.
“Several scholars and experts had earlier attributed these challenges to socioeconomic marginalization, weak governance structures, environmental degradation and climate change, transnational organized crime, and illegal trafficking in arms among others but the spillover effect of these conflicts is taking its toll on our economy, internal security and the socio-economic well-being of our people,” he said.
The minister listed the root causes of violence in the Sahel to include socio-economic marginalisation, weak governance structures, environmental challenges, and organised crime.
Nevertheless, he said the federal government was committed to addressing these underlying issues both domestically and in collaboration with international partners.
“The violence in the Sahel is not an isolated issue, and no single country can tackle it alone. Therefore, Nigeria has stepped up its engagement with its neighbours and other regional and international partners, it’s strengthening joint military operations such as the Multinational Joint Task Force, and also supporting initiatives that aim to stabilize the Sahel region.
“On the home front, security has remained a top priority in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and through investment in equipment, manpower, acquisition of more fighting platforms, and intelligence gathering, we are winning the war against insecurity.
“Tacking these challenges would require collaboration between government agencies, international partners, and security experts in order to safeguard Nigeria’s territorial integrity and contribute to lasting peace and stability in the Sahel region,” the minister said.
He equally urged the experts convened at the conference to dissect the root causes of the armed conflicts in the Sahel with a view to developing innovative solutions to tackling the challenges.
…CDS
On his part, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, said the Sahel region had, in the last decade, half of which was synonymous with instability, violence, and insecurity ranging from the rise of insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP to the spread of violent extremism, human trafficking, and illegal arms proliferation.
He said while insecurity did not emerge in a vacuum, its roots can be traced to a combination of local and global factors, including poor governance, economic marginalisation, climate change, ethnic tensions, and the spillover effects of conflicts in North Africa and the broader Middle East.
The defence chief stressed that the collapse of the Libyan state in 2011, further unleashed an influx of weapons and fighters, which catalysed the rise of militant groups across the Sahel.
“Nigeria, as a critical player in the region, has borne a significant share of the fallout from this instability,” Musa said.
The CDS admitted that insurgency in the Northeast, led by Boko Haram since 2009, had not only devastated communities, but also stretched military resources, forced the displacement of millions, and undermined economic development.
According to the Defence Chief, the porous nature of Nigeria’s borders with Sahelian countries had made it easier for transnational criminals, including smugglers, human traffickers, and arms dealers to operate with impunity.
Notwithstanding, Musa said: “Nigeria has demonstrated resilience and determination in confronting these challenges.
“I encourage all stakeholders including government, civil society, international partners, and the private sector to work collaboratively in addressing these challenges. Let us always remember that Nigeria’s security and that of the entire Sahel region depend on our ability to find lasting solutions that promote peace, stability, and prosperity for all.”
…IBN Chambas further lists causes
Also speaking, African Union Chief Mediator on Sudan, Dr Mohamed IBN Chambas, identified factors responsible insecurity in the Sahel region to include weak governance and corruption.
Chambas,who was the guest lecturer at the event said military solution alone would not address the problem.
According to him, weak governance and corruption had helped in creating a conducive environment for insecurity.
He said the Sahel region is so vast that there are lots of ungoverned spaces in the zone, causing the increase in the insecurity rate.
The AU chief also listed crisis in Libya, Sudan, Mali, among other factors that could be attributed to the challenge.
Besides, he said foreign interference and external forces had equally explored this for their own interest.
Chambas, who said the shrinking of Lake Chad Basin, particularly the Lake Chad, had caused more harm than good in the Sahel region, said focus should also be given to financing and supply network of the terror groups.
He also described as commendable Nigeria’s efforts at addressing farmers/herders crisis, especially the creation of livestock ministry.
ECOWAS, he added, should resist the restriction of movement of people from the three member states that pulled out of the regional body, says Ibn Chambas at NAN inaugural lecture. (Additional reports from NAN)