INSECURITY: “HOW ARE TERRORISTS HAVING ACCESS TO AMMUNITIONS” - PRESIDENT BUHARI QUERIES SECURITY CHIEFS
President Muhammadu Buhari has queried Security and Intelligence chiefs on how possible it is for terrorists to have access to the ammunition they use despite the closure of the nation’s land borders.
Speaking at a virtual meeting with State Governors and heads of security agencies coordinated from the presidential villa, Abuja on Tuesday, August 11th, 2020, the President expressed concern that in spite of the fact that borders with neighbouring countries had been shut, bandits and terrorists have continued to have access to small weapons.
Recall that in recent weeks, the level of insecurity and violence in Northern Nigeria has risen beyond measures as over 200 lives have been lost due to attacks from Boko Haram insurgents and Fulani Herdsmen.
According to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President(Media & Publicity), in Abuja, the meeting also agreed that poverty and youth unemployment are at the root of the national security challenges, and needed to be addressed with greater vigour by all tiers of government.
President Buhari reiterated his call for the security chiefs to retool their strategies.
“We have said enough on the need for them to rejig their operations. I am glad that there are better synergy and cooperation which are very important. I have directed the Service Chiefs to meet among themselves in-between the National Security Council meetings.
Read Also: SECURITY OPERATIVES IN SOUTHERN KADUNA ARRESTS SOME OF THE BANDITS TERRORIZING THE AREA
“The services have resources; yes, they need more, and mobility, and are doing their best, but there is a need for better gathering and interpretation of intelligence. Our intelligence-gathering must be improved,” the President said.
The meeting ended with a call for a joint strategy to bring various conflicts to an end within time limits, while field commanders would take measures to protect civilian communities as a confidence-building mechanism between the military and those communities.
It focused on the country’s security policies and approaches in tackling the internal security challenges with a charge that intelligence-gathering and sharing must be optimised for the nation to secure itself.
Read Also: INSECURITY IN NORTHERN NIGERIA; NIGERIA’S EXPANDING MENACE
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