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Insecurity: ex-Minister, Gbagi Asks Nigerians To Demand State Of Emergency From Buhari

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A former Minister of State Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi has asked Nigerians to demand that President Muhammadu Buhari declare a state of emergency on security following series of deadly attacks across the country.

BIGPENNGR reports that Gbagi made the call on Sunday during a FRONTLINE platform media interactive and participatory Programme organized by the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) in Oginibo, Ughelli South Local Government area, Delta State.

Recalls that both the lower and upper chambers of the National Assembly had in separate resolutions asked President Buhari to declare State of Emergency on security resulting from persistent attacks by Islamic militants groups, bandits, and other social vices groups but the presidency has done nothing despite the calls.

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But Gbagi said that the current situation where Nigeria is, calls for a declaration of state of emergency saying that if the national assembly cannot force it, Nigerians should enmass demand for it.

“Where we are right now in this country calls for a state of emergency. Where a governor of a state cannot give instructions to subordinates security chiefs as enshrined in the constitution is a misnomer that would spill doom for this country”.

The business mogul, insisted that the situation in Nigeria at the moment demands the National Assembly to urgently amend the constitution of the country with regards to organisation of the nation’s security apparatus if the nation will make inroads into solving the problem of insecurity.

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“The kind of government we practice before now had the interest of the nation at heart but where the interest of the nation is not what we are pursuing, the nation will die. We must go back to the drawing board. We must go back to discuss where we are and how we want to collectively get out of this mess.

“The situation has rapidly grown out of hand. Why are we paying salaries to security agents when the main purpose of their engagement has been outlived. The purpose of paying their salaries has been defeated and this calls for emergency.

“Without security, there will be no investment. And once there is no investment, hunger will take over the land. Robbery, stealing, kidnapping will increase. Look, a lot of people who are criminals today do not plan to become criminals. Circumstances beyond their control forced them into criminality.

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“It will continue and get worse. The country our fathers left behind is not the country we are today. There is need for a state of emergency in Nigeria security system. Nigeria will not be a nation if we do not change the narratives”, he added.

Gbagi, who is a frontline 2023 governorship aspirant in Delta State, lamented that the debilitating security situation in the country has nearly made it impossible for State governors to be held accountable over insecurity in their respective states.

He said: “Nigeria as it is today is a misnomer. There is need for a state of emergency on security in Nigeria. Security personnel are supposed to take orders from state governors. But where we are now is a situation where they all take instructions from a central command. That means the governors cannot be held responsible for the wrongs with regards to security in their states.”

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The former Minister who was guest speaker at the Online Publishers interactive session, said that Nigeria was drifting towards the precipice following alarming state of insecurity saying “Nigeria has become a loose federation “.

Gbagi, a criminologist and legal luminary contended that security architecture of the country became loose when patriotism was thrown to the dogs for deceit to take preeminent.

“The problem of insecurity in Nigeria is deceit. “Wayo” has taken over the centre stage of our security architecture. Nigeria security is a misnomer as it is presently and I blame the media for the security challenges we have in some part of the country today.

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“The media must live up to it’s responsibility by demanding from our service chiefs why they are failing to protect us despite being heavily paid with tax payers money. Let us not politicise security in this country. Criminality has taken root nearly in every part of the country today yet we are failing to ask for a state of emergency?.

“We must go back to the drawing board and re-examined ourselves and see where we went wrong. The situation has rapidly gone out of hand. We need to call the professionals to act. Nigeria will cease to be a nation if we don’t take drastic action now. Nigerians must take their responsibilities to heart”.

While calling for the decentralization of the Nigeria Police Force, Gbagi said that conquering security challenges in the country will required strong determination by all.

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He reiterated that State Governors are not fully empowered by Constitution to combat insecurity because the Security Agencies are not taking last order/directives from the Governors but from their bosses in Abuja.

The Peoples Democratic Party Chieftain, argued that the herders/farmers clashes are fueled by the impression that cow grazing is a government business as such herders are forcing government to aiding the atrocities being perpetuated by some of them, contending that “Grazing is a private business and cow rearing is not the business of Government. He maintained that the Nigeria presidency has nothing to do with grazing.

Gbagi maintained that the lackadaisical attitude of the Federal Government to take appropriate action on Open Grazing is contributing to the herdsmen and farmers clashes in the country.

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“How does my personal business concern government? How I sell it, how it gets from one place to another is not the business of government. That is their chosen line of business. Grazing must be treated as such.

“Cow is not the business of government, unless government wants to tell us that they have acquired all the cows in Nigeria. Some of these things have come to be because of the way we have handled them.”

Although he blamed the security agencies for not carrying out their responsibility to Nigerians, he, however, agreed that the security personnel are not well remunerated so as to encourage them to put in their best. He said the policeman that has not eaten well will run when a daredevil robber with a more sophisticated gun advances towards him.

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Hence, he said “there is low morale among the security personnel”. He, however, insisted that over 80 percent of the guns used by the hoodlums belong to Nigerians. He is of the belief that the guns were forcefully taken from Nigerians security agencies.

Gbagi, who commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state for his proactive measures against insecurity in the state and his infrastructural development, said “the way we have toiled with a lot of things in Nigeria and we are still surviving, we should attempt such with security.

The former minister who has his eyes firmly fixed on the governorship seat in Delta comes 2023, said that he has a well tailored blueprint for the development of his state that would shock many when unveil.

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The interactive session was primarily designed to enable the renowned security expert share thoughts and experiences aimed at deepening relationships among critical stakeholders with a view to advancing strategies and options on the best way forward to address insecurity in Nigeria.

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