Former Kano State governor and national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has openly challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to show firmer political resolve in confronting terrorism, banditry and rising criminal violence across Nigeria.
Kwankwaso spoke on Tuesday in Kano during the passing-out parade of 2,000 newly recruited personnel of the Kano State Neighbourhood Watch Corps. He argued that Nigeria’s deepening insecurity is not the result of weakness within the armed forces, but a failure of leadership and clear direction at the highest level of government.
The former Minister of Defence said Nigerian troops have repeatedly proven their professionalism and courage in international peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Darfur. According to him, with proper equipment, continuous training and decisive command, the military has the capacity to clear criminal groups occupying ungoverned territories across the country.
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Kwankwaso urged the Federal Government to act decisively against armed groups where dialogue fails, insisting that negotiations should not become an excuse for inaction. He also called for massive investment in recruitment, modern equipment and retraining of security personnel to meet current threats.
He further advised that trained youths from states in the North-west and other regions should be absorbed into the armed forces, stressing that Nigeria needs a military strength of no fewer than one million personnel to adequately secure its population. He said any government that cannot protect lives and property has failed in its basic duty and owes citizens a public apology.
In his address, Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf said his administration’s approach to security is built around protection and opportunity. He explained that the Neighbourhood Watch programme is designed to deepen community-based intelligence while creating jobs and restoring dignity to young people.
Governor Yusuf added that the initiative will work alongside conventional security agencies through inter-agency cooperation and collaboration with neighbouring states to curb cross-border crimes and disrupt criminal networks.
