Insecurity: Reps task President Buhari to urgently convene national security summit

Concerned members of the House of Representatives on Saturday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately convene a National Security Summit with the view to proffer lasting solutions to the insecurity challenges facing the country.

The clarion call came on the heels of the unabated killings of travellers of major roads and other Nigerians by suspected armed robbers and Fulani herdsmen.

The lawmakers who commiserate with the family of Pa Reuben Fasoranti over the killing of his 58-year-old Daughter, Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, stressed the need for the provision of adequate funding for training and re-training of personnel of all security agencies without further delay.

Some of the lawmakers who spoke with Tribune Online Parliamentary Correspondent, include Hon. Bamidele Salam (PDP-Osun); Hon. Jide Olatunbosun (APC-Oyo); Hon. Amobi Yinusa Akintola (APC-Osun).

Hon. Salam, member representing Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo federal constituency of Osun State who condemned the killing of Madam Olakunrin described the incident ad sad and highly despicable.

He said: “The killing of Madam Olakunrin by armed herdsmen in Ore is a sad and highly despicable act. It further shows the level to which internal security has degenerated in Nigeria.

“It calls to question the numerous Police and other check-points on our roads. This is a major test for security agencies in the country.

“There is an urgency of unravelling and apprehending the killers. There is also an urgency of convening a major security summit on the growing menace of herdsmen attack in all parts of the country,” Hon. Salam urged.

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In his remarks, Hon. Amobi Yinusa Akintola, member representing Ayedire-Iwo-Ola-Oluwa federal constituency of Osun State who commiserated with the family of elder statesman Fasoranti on the death of his daughter, described the insecurity challenges across the country as alarming.

While noting that the recurring cases of kidnapping and indiscriminate killings of innocent Nigerians have become a national disaster, Hon. Akintola harped on the need for resuscitation of Traditional security institutions in the bid to effectively nip the challenges in the bud.

Hon. Akintola who called for deliberate efforts toward strengthening the security architecture at all levels urged Federal and State Governments to invest into training and re-training of security agencies.

He observed that the menace of kidnapping and killing of Nigerians by the Fulani herdsmen have turned to a national crisis, hence beckoned all the present administration to demonstrate sufficient political will in protecting the lives of Nigerian citizens as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Hon. Akintola who stressed the need for intelligent information sharing via social media and other traditional media tasked security agencies to partner with traditional institutions and communities in the bid to win the war against kidnappers and Fulani herdsmen.

The lawmaker who condemned the prevailing situation where a policeman was arrested for armed robbery, advocated for an effective and regulated way of disposing arms and ammunitions by security agencies, just as he expressed support for the establishment of National Commission against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria.

Recall that the bill scaled through second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

On his part, Hon. Olatunbosun, member representing Saki East/Saki West/Atisbo federal constituency of Oyo State expressed sadness over the killing of Mrs. Olakunrin by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

“It is a very bad signal that the current situation of pervasive security is getting worse,” the lawmaker noted.

He, however, beckoned on government and authorities of relevant security agencies “to as a matter of urgency do everything to improve security lives and property in our Country.

“I won’t subscribe to the school of thought of compromise at the highest level of government. The major issue we are having is that considering the diversity of the country, the structure of our police force cannot cope with the emerging security threats.

“We need to improve very fast on intelligence gathering and we also need to have a framework for community policing. With community policing, the responsibility for security in an area, town, LGA, State and even Geopolitical zone will largely be with the natives/indigenes of such areas.

“This is best practice and if we can adapt it to our own peculiar situation it will help us,” Hon. Olatunbosun emphasised.