Insecurity: Ex-IG blames FG for ignoring policy solutions
A former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, on Tuesday, decried the lingering security challenges in the country, saying they reflect the Federal Government’s failure to implement strategic policies developed by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies.
Abubakar disclosed this at the opening ceremony of a two-day retreat on Redesigning the NIPSS Strategic Plan (2025-2029) held in Abuja.
In his address, the former police chief stated that resolving crime and security challenges is not rocket science, given the ample policies and intelligence available to relevant agencies.
He, however, argued that implementation is key.
While commending the institute’s alumni for their hard work on policy formulation and research, Abubakar noted that Nigeria does not lack policies but rather suffers from poor implementation by the government.
He said:
“It is not about the strategy for NIPSS 2025; it is about the strategy for Nigeria. Nigeria is our major concern, and as far as I am concerned, AANI (Alumni Association of the National Institute) and NIPSS have done so much for this country in terms of policy formulation and research.
“The question should be: why are those policies and strategies not implemented? Because if they were, Nigeria would be in a much better position in all aspects of life. If you check the archives, you will find numerous policies designed for the safety and security of citizens.
“Beyond the responsibilities of the police and other security agencies, if such strategic policies had been implemented, Nigeria would be more secure than it is today.”
However, the Director-General of NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, disagreed with his view.
Speaking with journalists at the event, Omotayo said every government has its priorities, adding that the current administration cannot be blamed for failing to implement some of the recommended policies.
“I believe that, to a large extent, this particular government listens to us and tries as much as possible to implement some of our recommendations,” he stated.
Omotayo further explained that the retreat aims to make critical decisions and set an agenda for the government for the next five years.
The professor noted that beyond making recommendations, the institute also hopes to develop strategies to ensure that the outcomes of its research are implemented by the relevant government agencies and stakeholders.
“As you can see, we have brought in eminent Nigerians and alumni members from all across the country to set an agenda for the next five years,” he said.
Similarly, a Professor of Political Science at Obafemi Awolowo University, Femi Mimiko, described NIPSS as a valuable institution shaping Nigeria’s policy landscape.
Mimiko stressed that Nigeria has made a wise investment in the institute, which has consistently provided in-depth analyses of national issues.
