Dr. Maruf Salami Olarewaju, National President of OPCI
By Emmanuel Kehinde, Ilorin
National coordinator of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Odua Progressive Care Initiative (OPCI), Dr. Maruf Olanrewaju has scolded President Muhammadu Buhari for his incapability to arrest worsening security situation in the country.
Dr. Maruf the remarks while speaking to journalists in Ilorin at the weekend. He said “It’s unfortunate that Nigeria security system has completely collapsed under a former Army General as President.”
According to him “It’s unfortunate that we found ourselves in this kind of security mess in this country, in some years back, my group, raised alarm and called on federal government to be proactive on the issue of security, unfortunately government did not pay attention to our warning then, until it boomerang.
“It’s quite unfortunate that our president, who is a retired general could not secured his people. Yes, we had insecurity during Obasanjo and Jonathan administrations too, but, not as pathetic as what we are seeing today.”
He, however call on President Buhari to declare bandits terrorist group, saying he should shun sentiment and do the needful.
Expressing his views on the way out of the insecurity, Chief Maruf said “If we want effective security system in Nigeria, we must go back to the drawing board, all traditional leaders in various communities across the country, must be carry along, they are the grassroot leaders with adequate knowledge of their communities”
Also, some organisations with reasonable numbers of members should as well be carry along, government must give them certain assignment to do.
“I could remember, during administration of Senator Bukola Saraki as Kwara state Governor, I approached his SA security, I asked him, do you want adequate security in Kwara? I explained to him how our organization can help, and due to his ingenuity too, he agreed with me. If we can do that in Kwara, I believe federal government can use the same strategy too, Police, combined with all other security agencies, not enough,” he said.
