Insecurity Has Overwhelmed FG, Vigilantes Threat To Peace – Kwankwaso

Former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said the Federal Government appears overwhelmed by the escalating insecurity across the country.

The former Kano governor stated this on Monday in a post on his verified Facebook page, warning that recent developments threaten national unity and stability.

He said his “deep personal concern” stems from what he described as the government’s growing inability to contain banditry, terrorism, ethnic tensions, and the uncontrolled proliferation of arms, problems he believes are now spiralling beyond the capacity of the current security architecture.

Kwankwaso said, “Having served within the system for many years, I am aware that the primary responsibility for tackling the escalating insecurity in Nigeria rests with the Federal Government, in collaboration with state and local governments as well as other critical stakeholders.”

He, however said, “Regrettably, it appears the Federal Government is overwhelmed,” explaining that it “is evident in its tacit endorsement to allow state governments to establish and deploy vigilante security outfits with little or no professional training.”

According to Kwankwaso, “Such a policy, however well-intentioned, has inadvertently facilitated the uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light weapons across the country.”

He stressed that. “Worst of all, individuals have begun taking advantage of this by setting up their militia, like we are seeing in the actions of some political elements. Such action further threatens the fragile peace in our country.”

He pointed out that of equal concern is what he called the rising wave of ethnic and regional profiling of Nigerian citizens within their own country.

He stated that, “In recent times, we have witnessed disturbing reports of individuals, particularly from a part of the country, being arbitrarily targeted, harassed, arrested, and in some cases tortured in other parts of the country.”

Kwankwaso said the development is compounded by what he said is the growing harassment, intimidation, and hate speech on social media, often fuelled by ethnic and religious jingoism. These trends, he added, pose a grave threat to national unity and cohesion.

The Federal Government he said “must act decisively and without delay to reverse these dangerous developments before they spiral further out of control.”

He added that as a former Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Committee on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, “I find the current ease with which arms are being circulated across the country deeply alarming and unacceptable.”

He congratulated General Christopher Gwabin Musa “on his well-deserved appointment as Minister of Defence” expressing confidence that, “with the necessary political will and support, he possesses the competence and experience to make a significant difference in restoring security and stability to our nation.”