Nigerians spend over N1trn annually on security ― Kenny Martins

Former chairman, Police Equipment Foundation, Chief Kenny Martins on Thursday disclosed that following rising insecurity in the country, Nigerians individually and collectively spend over N1trillion annually to provide security for themselves and their property.

Martins made this known while speaking as guest speaker at the 4th Annual Lecture of the BAT Communication Company with the theme: “Security Challenge and Implication on National Development,” held at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers in Lagos.

He urged the government to play its role in ensuring the security of lives and properties in the country.

“Every day, we are lectured that security is a collective responsibility. We are doing our bit; using tall fences and barbed wires to demarcate our houses, paying trillions of naira every year to hire security guards, as well as purchasing and installing very expensive security devices to protect our businesses, residential premises and estates. 

“We also pay our taxes to maintain our three tiers of government, their elaborate security services and the Armed Forces. We, therefore, expect our governments at all levels to play their part as well, in ensuring the security of lives and properties in our country,” he said.

Martins lamented that much of the security issues in the country were politically motivated, saying that accounted for the inability of the political leadership to control it when the issues get out of hand.

“One thing that is common with politically motivated insecurity is that the initial elements of the source of insecurity are mostly started by non-state actors, but somewhere along the line, some state actors would see a potential political advantage for themselves in empowering the organization or one of the belligerents with State resources and thereby helping the organization to grow faster and more powerful than they would have been able to achieve on their own. 

“The next thing is that the state actor will then channel that newfound notoriety and power of intimidation of their pet organization against their political opponents, especially during the elections in order to win an undeserved victory at the polls or simply to give to a community that is opposed to the government something to worry about without showing its hand publicly,” he said. 

Martins, an in-law to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, while placing substantial blame on state operatives regarding insecurity, also had strong words for the opposition, citing Zamfara State as a ready example which he said had now blossomed and spread other parts of the country.

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