Insecurity: Senate canvasses creation of state police, special fund for anti-corruption, others

The lawmakers identified the root causes of insecurity in the country as unemployment, poverty, corruption in governance, cultism, use of drugs and drug addiction, porous border, illiteracy, hunger and radicalisation by religious extremists.

The Senate on Wednesday asked the federal government to establish a dedicated fund to address corruption, porous borders, and religious extremism, which are identified as major drivers of Nigeria’s insecurity.

This followed the adoption of the interim report of the Senate ad hoc committee on the National Security Summit during the plenary session.

The report was presented by the committee’s chairperson and Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, and adopted through a voice vote.

Mr Bamidele said the proposed fund should tackle the root causes of insecurity, including unemployment, poverty, corruption in governance, cultism, drug abuse, porous borders, illiteracy, hunger and radicalisation by religious extremists.

“The federal government should establish a fund to address the root causes of insecurity, which are: unemployment, poverty, corruption in governance, cultism, use of drugs and drug addiction, porous border, illiteracy, hunger and radicalisation by religious extremists,” he said.

He further called for the creation of a National Youth Stabilisation Fund, initially targeted at conflict-affected regions, to support local economic recovery, youth empowerment, and community resilience.

“In doing this, a National Youth Stabilisation Fund, which should be targeted at conflict-affected regions in the first instance, is very imperative. This fund would support local economic recovery, youth empowerment and community resilience,” Mr Bamidele stated.

Other recommendations

The committee also recommended the establishment of state police to address rising insecurity, since the Constitution recognises state governors and local government chairmen as chief security officers of their respective domains.

Mr Bamidele said that constitutional amendments are necessary to grant states and local governments control over security apparatus within their jurisdictions.

As part of the recommendations, the committee urged states, with federal support, to establish local security liaison committees in every ward to serve as the primary link between communities and security agencies.

The committees, he said, should comprise community members, traditional rulers, occupational groups, religious leaders, women and youth representatives to enhance intelligence gathering and build trust between security personnel and local communities.

“The states, with federal government support ,should establish a local security liaison committee in every ward. This committee to serve as the major link between the people and the Security Agencies. It should provide and supervise the first response in the locality (ward).

“The committee should comprise local community/members, traditional, occupational, religious, women and youth leaders. This will ensure effective intelligence gathering as well as build trust between security personnel and the local community,” he said.

The committee further advised the federal government to expand training and capacity-building programmes for security personnel to include border security, counter-terrorism, intelligence gathering and joint workshops with international and regional partners.

It also disclosed that the National Assembly would sponsor and fast-track a National Security and Recovery Bill for conflict-affected communities to provide sustained funding for infrastructure rebuilding, livelihood restoration and reintegration.

Mr Bamidele added that security agencies should leverage technology by deploying modern surveillance systems, such as CCTV, drones, and sensors, along border communities, while upgrading border posts, improving patrol mobility, and strengthening communication and rapid-response capacity.

The committee advocated for official recognition of traditional institutions and religious leaders as security stakeholders to promote inclusion, dialogue, early warning signals, and deradicalisation.

It emphasised that religious leaders must preach messages of peace, tolerance, and the sanctity of life, while warning that those who promote hatred, division, or violence should be held accountable under the law.

The committee also urged full implementation of local government autonomy to enhance grassroots security and called for the fast-tracking of constitutional amendments to enforce it.

On the Niger Delta, the committee recommended that issues of social injustice, marginalisation, economic deprivation, environmental degradation caused by oil spills and gas flaring be decisively addressed by the federal government in collaboration with state governments and host communities.

The committee condemned the activities of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), citing loss of lives and property, erosion of traditional institutions and rising numbers of out-of-school children.

It urged authorities to curtail, if not completely end, the Monday sit-at-home order, and called on state governments to promptly address farmers-herders clashes by encouraging the establishment of modern ranches for livestock management.