Worried by what he described as undue politicization of the security situation in the country, the Chairman of Southern Senators’ Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma has advocated a bi-partisan and collaborative approach among all stakeholders in Nigeria towards addressing the issue.
While acknowledging that it is the responsibility of government to provide adequate security for lives and property, Senator Uzodinma said the citizens themselves have a critical role to play to ensure the realization of a safe country.
In a statement he issued yesterday, Senator Uzodinma who flew the flag of APC in the just concluded governorship election in Imo State said it was unpatriotic for politicians to make political capital out of the entire security situation in the Country.
Noting that security is the collective responsibility of all citizens while the leadership provides the resources, the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, appealed to his colleagues in the National Assembly to provide leadership in evolving more effective means of tackling security.
He also advocated the active involvement of traditional and religious leaders and other various stakeholders in the quest to identify and repress the sources of insecurity starting from the community level.
According to him, “the tragedy of the Nigerian situation is that everybody thinks that tackling insecurity is the duty of only the president and governors. Until all of us make the issue of security our personal problem, we may still be a long way from achieving our goal“.
He said because security forces do not operate in a vacuum, it behoves on the citizenry led by the leaders in every community to provide them the necessary intelligence required to confront both the bandits, kidnappers and even terrorists.
“I do believe that we require a collaborative approach devoid of politics and religion. We must see what is happening in Nigeria today as a challenge to all of us and not only for President Buhari and APC”, he said