By Augustine Ehikioya
To give the Nigerian Military more time and resources to focus on more important National issues, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has pushed for quick end to Nigeria’s Military stretch beyond its statutory roles.
He noted that the Military in support of the civil authority are presently being overstretched and present in every part of the Country.
He spoke on Thursday while receiving the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, who paid him official visit at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. Security Watch Africa (SWA) was there.
He said “The issue of maintenance of law and order, the issue of enforcing law and order, the issue of making sure that people go about their lawful businesses is certainly the work of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies.
“We are very much appreciative of the roles you have been playing in coming to the aids of the civil authority, to the extend that you have been overstretched, you are always everywhere in this country, performing both the military and civil duties.
“We really hope that there will be a time when we have the military really go back to its statutory responsibilities, and ensure that other agencies that are in charge of safety and security of the Nation also perform their duties without stretching the Military.
“It is what we have as the last resort, we shouldn’t be bringing it out at the slightest moment of provocation or threat or violence. Military should come out as the last resort always,” he stated.
To allow the Military to handle its statutory roles, the IGP urged the Mobile Police Force, Strike Force and special security forces of other security agencies to up their games.
He said “I think there are issues, where maybe, the Police Mobile Force, and other agencies that have also strike forces and so on, could be visibly around the communities and societies, while we maintain our Armed Forces in serious business in the air, land and water.”
He thanked the CDS for the official visit to his office and all the great support the Military has been giving to the Police and other security agencies in addressing internal security.
Speaking earlier, General Irabor, sought for continuous review of strategies in order to overcome insecurity in Nigeria.
According to him, threats and security challenges across the globe have remained dynamic, and therefore required dynamic responses to tackle them.
The CDS said the time has come for the security agencies in Nigeria to begin to look at new approaches of improving their efficiency in handling security threats.
He said “Threats all over the world remain very dynamic and in our space, Nigeria, there are transformation of these threats in various dimensions.
“So what it requires is for us to continuously review the mechanics of addressing them. Given that these challenges and threats are internal, the Police certainly needs to be at the forefront.
“We believe the time has come for us to begin to look at new avenues to be able to improve on our efficiency, the level of our efficiency in handling these issues. That is the reason why I have come today.”
He specially congratulated the IGP and the management team for doing well, within available resources, in the fight against insecurity.
But he pointed out that there are still “quite a large number of areas to cover.”
Also thanking journalists for their coverage of security issues in the country over the years, he urged them to follow a new orientation in carrying out their assignment.
“Nigeria is the only Country that we have and we must put it in context, we must put it first before any other consideration when the issues of insecurity are being reported,” he said.