Olusegun Bamgbose, Esq., National Coordinator Concerned Advocates for Good Governance, CAGG, has said that if given the opportunity, he will end insurgency in nine months.
Bamgbose, who had in more than one occasio hinted on taking over from Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s President come 2023, was reacting to the recent killings by Boko Haram and bandits in the North.
The senior lawyer noted that insecurity in Nigeria was assuming an ugly and very unfortunate dimension, especially in the North, adding that security must be the collective responsibility of every citizen.
Few days ago, Katsina State witnessed attacks from the rampaging bandits with over 40 people being killed while young women were raped and many kidnapped.
Just yesterday, Boko Haram killed at least 81 people, including women and children while many sustained various degrees of injuries in Borno State and Bamgbose described the development as a very sad one.
“This is just the latest reported attacks. The primary responsibility of the Government is to protect lives and properties of the citizens.
“Nigerians are fast losing patience on failed promises by the security agents to put an end to this ugly scenario,” he said in a statement to DAILY POST on Thursday.
“The truth of the matter is that insurgency can be defeated within nine months. The key word is decisive action. I don’t believe in excuses.
“Nigerians are dying in scores almost on daily basis as a result of insecurity. Something can be done to arrest the situation at hand.
“I want to state clearly here that the Boko Haram insurgency, the banditry, should not be seen as ‘Northern problem’ It’s a national problem and demands that all should contribute towards its defeat.
“Attacking the government of being incompetent to handle the insecurity is not enough, solutions should be proffered.
“If I were given the opportunity, insurgency may be history in nine months. There are measures that can be taken as immediate and remote solutions to defeat insurgency in Nigeria.
“One, the Federal Government should as a matter of priority, fight poverty like a plague, in the North, especially the North East.
“No country in the world has ever tackled successfully insecurity, without first and foremost, combating poverty in full swing. Poverty breeds crime.
“In this respect, one will expect the Federal Government to team up with the Governors, especially from the North East to pragmatically tackle poverty. In this respect one will suggest a scheme, North East Welfare Scheme, NEWS.
“Secondly, the Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency constitute a special Stakeholders Committee, which might comprise former leaders, present and former Army Chief of Staff, security experts, etc.
“They should be given 6 weeks to come up with blueprint on the immediate and remote reasons for insurgency and what can be done to checkmate it.
“Thirdly, the Government should realize that some of these criminals are fed up carrying gun to cause havoc, but they don’t understand what to do.
“It will therefore be advisable for the Government to create a window for those willing to give up crime. It could be for 8 weeks.
“We can have a program called, Surrender And Get Empowered, SAGE. Some of them will obviously surrender. Fourthly, the almajiri system should be abolished or refined.
“We have been told that the best way to wipe out bats, is not by killing the flying ones, but to destroy the eggs. The system is really creating a serious problem for the North.
“Some of these insurgents are products of almajiri. Furthermore, the use of drones has now become necessary to defeat insurgency in Nigeria.
“Finally, there should be sincerity in the fight against insurgency. Where there is prevalence of insincerity, insecurity will certainly pervade.
“The Government and the security agents should understand that all shall on the last day give account of his or her stewardship before our Maker, God Almighty. Let’s serve with the fear of God.”
