National security will be a major thrust of Nigeria’s next Federal Government if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wins the 25th February 2023 presidential election.
Announcing his “National Security 7-point Agenda” on his verified Twitter handle, the party’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar wrote: “National Security will be a key policy thrust of my administration. This is because a secured country is critical to the success of every sector of our nation”.
He then listed what his administration would do “to take us to where we ought to be security-wise”.
These are:
“#1: Ensuring the security of lives and properties and the dignity of Nigerians by restructuring and enhancing the funding of our security agencies as well as training of security personnel.
“#2: Restoring merit and professionalism in the process of recruitment, appointment and promotions enshrined in the acts establishing the security outfits and their extant rules and regulations.
“#3: Implementing a Special Presidential Welfare Initiative for our security personnel.
“#4: Increasing the number of security personnel to meet the security needs of over 200 million Nigerians. We shall conduct systematic and guided recruitment exercise of up to one million personnel into the police force, to combat current security challenges and meet the UN police to citizen ratio of 1:450.
“#5: Employing the tools of strategic engagement with state and non-state actors in theatres of conflict.
“#6: Promoting Police-Community relations to build mutual trust and confidence as a proactive strategy for crime prevention and control.
“#7: Streamlining the functions and operations of security outfits like the NSCDC, FRSC, among others to foster synergy, and intelligence sharing in order to make them more effective”.
Security has been the major concern in Nigeria in recent time. Only last Sunday, tens of worshippers at a catholic church in Owo, Ondo State died in a terror attack with several others injured.
Virtually every part of the country is affected by banditry, kidnapping and other violent situations, which has even led the state governments to promote internal security forces in their jurisdictions.
