- North West may be deadlier than North-East if – Traditionalist
- We’re committed to public safety – Kaduna govt
From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The Executive Director of the Kukah Centre, Fr Atta Barkindo, on Tuesday, suggested what President Bola Tinubu should do in addition to the appointment of security chiefs and ministers to address security threats in the Country, especially the North West region.
The North West comprised Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara and it covers 26% of the country’s total land mass with a population of about 49 million (2006 census projection) representing about 23 per cent of the total population of the country.
Atta, who spoke in an interview with newsmen on the sideline of a one-day high-level town hall meeting on promoting peace and security in the North West, held in Kaduna, said, the first thing is for the government to liberalise the economy by way of allowing the private sector to thrive which will, in turn, employ the millions of unemployed people.
Second, “We need security reform in this country. The welfare of our security men must be packaged in such a way that they are motivated in defending the territorial integrity of the country.
“We must also cub the culture of impunity. There is no accountability in this country. People steal and go free. They kill and go free with no one holding them to account. If we don’t deal with that culture, all of us can be consumed by it.
“Again, the issue of education is key because a lot of our people are living in ignorance illiteracy and poverty. I’m not talking about education with just certificates. I’m talking about robust education that pays good attention to technical skills where people can use their hands to survive not depending on the government for survival”, he added.
A traditional father, Bunun Zazzau, and District Head of Doka, Kaduna, Alh Bala Tijjani Muhammed expressed worry that if the current security situation in the North West is not quickly addressed, it would be worse than what was seen in the North-East.
According to him, the importance of peace in the North West cannot be overemphasised considering the security situation on the ground adding that, it is a known fact that without peace nothing tangible could be achieved.
“The North West is turning into a battleground and if care is not taken, it will be deadlier than what we have in the North East. We have thought of putting things right in the North-East, the heat is now shifting to the North West. Something needs to be done in time to nip the menace in the bud before it gets to a situation whereby it becomes difficult to control.
“With where we are now, working with traditional institutions is of paramount importance considering the role the traditional leaders have been playing over the years. So, there is a need to carry the traditional leaders along if not for anything, they are one of the few institutions that cover every nook and crannies of this country with fast resources to gather intelligence among other things they do”, he hinted.
In her keynote presentation titled; “Empowering Women in Peace Building: Highlighting the Role of Women in promoting peace and Security, and the Need for Gender-sensitive Approaches in Conflict”, a Permanent Commissioner with the Kaduna State Peace Commission, Barr Rebecca Sako-John noted that, achieving lasting solutions to security in the Country will be difficult without involving women in the decision-making process.
She lamented that women are more vulnerable in conflict situations – targeted as war tactic victims, victims of rape, kidnapping /abduction, terrorism, and violent extremism, hence, the need to involve them in discussing and making decisions on issues that affect them directly or indirectly.
Earlier, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, who was represented at the meeting by the Administrator of Kaduna Central Territorial Authority and immediate past Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan restated the commitment of his administration to public safety.
“Government is committed to public safety having been working in collaboration with the military, the Police, and other agencies that are playing critical roles as far as internal security is concerned in Karuna State.
“For instance, for Karuna-Abuja road to be quiet not, people should know that there is a deliberate policy by government and security agencies and, what we are doing is a public participatory approach to the issue and for obvious reasons”, he added.
The Kukah Centre, in partnership with Global Rights with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) organised the one-day event as a part of a project in Kaduna and Sokoto States on “Building Community Resilience Against Insecurity and Violent Extremism and To Achieve Better Inclusion for Women in Peacebuilding Efforts.”
Participants at the meeting include the Kaduna State Governor, Emir of Zazzau, Commissioner of Police NSCDC Commandant, Vice Chairman of Kaduna Peace Commission, commissioners of ministries, traditional and religious leaders, and civil society, among others.