The Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), is to lead a delegation of heads of federal law enforcement as well as security and intelligence agencies to hold town hall meetings with State governors, traditional and religious leaders, members of the legislature, non-governmental, youth and women organisations, in a deliberate bid to strengthen the nation’s response to the growing spate of insecurity in the country.
According to a statement issued Friday, 12th February, by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno, the series of meetings would begin on Monday, February 15, 2021 in Kaduna, with all seven governors of the north-western states. Furthermore, the meetings would be replicated across all the geo-political zones in the country.
TheFact Nigeria learnt that the Town Hall engagements involving the critical stakeholders, as announced by the ONSA, had one agenda only: the worsening security situation in the country.
Monguno said the meeting is in furtherance of Federal Government’s commitment to address multiple security threats facing Nigeria, following the spate of criminality in the country.
According to the statement, the meetings would provide opportunities for direct assessment of the security situation, generate local feedback and recommendations, encourage geo-political synchronisation of effort among States and create a pathway to lasting peace and security.
“The Federal Government is deeply concerned about the current spate of criminal activities and is taking major steps to strengthen the capacity of security agencies, while upgrading the security architecture, and implementing a multi-pronged strategy that involves political, humanitarian, economic and security measures.
“The Federal Government is equally committed to working with the States and community leaders to strengthen peace, security and development in all parts of the country”, the statement disclosed.
It would be noted that the ONSA, as a prelude to the town hall meeting, had convenened a meeting of the General Security Appraisal Committee GSAC on Thursday, 11 February. The meeting was attended by the Service Chiefs and Heads of Law Enforcement, Security and Intelligence Agencies, and several security related issues were discussed, from kidnapping and banditry, to terrorism and armed robbery, and the resultant consequences of these threats on citizens’ lives and property.
At the meeting, it was resolved that interagency coordination, and stakeholders’ engagement and consultations would be strengthened, so that a lasting solution to the multiple security threats may be arrived at.
According to Monguno, the ONSA, working with Service Chiefs and Heads of Security and Intelligence Agencies is coordinating “a Whole -of -Government and Whole-of Society approach that cuts across the Legislature, Judiciary, Ministries and Departments, States and Local Governments and the Civil Society, to ensure that every stakeholder plays a role in securing our towns and villages.”
Addressing these threats, the NSA stressed, called for the deployment of all national assets, including the cooperation of all Nigerians.
