NSA Monguno: Insecurity Forcing Nigerians to Resort to Self-Help
By Ozumi Abdul
The Federal Government, yesterday, admitted that Nigerians have grown frustrated of the diring current security challenges facing the nation, and gravitating towards self-help.
The government noted that winning the war against terrorists would require the complementary efforts of citizens, including the civilian population, who are required to help the security, intelligence and armed agencies with useful information.
National Security Adviser, NSA, Major-General Babagana Monguno, retd, stated these while speaking with newsmen after the National Security Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Monguno spoke as the deadly fire of insecurity raged in many parts of the country yesterday, with bandits killing no fewer than 20 persons in attacks on communities in Zamafara State. Also, six people were killed in a similar attack on a community in Plateau State.
The NSA said the worsening security situation may result in the citizenry gravitating towards self-help.
He, however, revealed that government is currently working on new strategies to curtail the worsening insecurity in the country in coming weeks.
He said the Security Council has agreed on new strategies to curtail the menace, assuring that there will be a renewed momentum against terrorism.
The NSA noted that Nigeria is in a difficult situation, saying the President is aware of the people’s concerns about the growing insecurity.
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Monguno, who said yesterday’s meeting, the third in less than a month, was a follow-up on the one held last week, however, said fighting the sort of insecurity facing the country can only be successful when it is confronted with the ‘whole of society’ approach.
“This meeting was convened by the President as a continuation of the meeting that took place last week, to discuss the technical issues and the tasks that were given to the various security agencies. The meeting deliberated on all those issues, after the briefing by the National Security Adviser, which is usually the procedure.
“Again, the Council has seen it necessary to inform the general public that fight in this type of asymmetric conflict is a collective effort; it’s not something that should be confined to only the security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies. When we keep saying whole of society approach, whole of government approach, to get a whole of nation approach, what it means is that everybody has to partake in this enterprise.
“We are in a very difficult situation and Council understands. Mr. President understands people’s concerns about the growing insecurity, but I can assure you that there’s no straight, cut and dried method of dealing with this thing unless all of us embrace each other. I know people are wary, people are tired; people are beginning to gravitate to other places for self-help. The truth is that help is rooted in everyone working for the other person.
“The truth is that no country can ever overcome the difficulties of an asymmetric conflict by virtue of the fact that the enemy of the state is embedded within the population, within the wider society. It is true that the local people are averse, they’re scared, they’re worried and there’s no confidence. That is understandable. But without their support, without their cooperation in terms of giving information, it makes it very hard for the operational elements,” he stated.
