Security institute lists factors responsible for separatist agitations, insecurity 

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Akpan David Calabar 

A forum of security experts under the aegis of Institute of Security and Strategic Studies  (ISSS) says feelings of marginalization, faulty 1999 constitution that has made it impossible for states to fulfill their role as component federating units are some of the factors responsible for separatist agitations as well as heightened insecurity in parts of the country.

They appealed to the federal government to release Nnamdi Kanu and other political prisoners in the country as a way of consolidating national peace and cohesion.

They made the remarks at their 6th annual security executive conference held in Calabar with the theme “Nigeria’s security challenges: Panacea for Socio Economic Development.”

The conference had more than 30 security experts drawn from the academia, private and public sector, para-military organizations and ECOWAS Court of Justice. 

In their communique signed by Board Secretary of the Institute, Prof. Azeez Olaniyan and Richard Kalu of Department of State Security Services, DSS, and  two  others, they recommended for provision of basic amenities to the people to stem high insecurity, nepotism and ineptitude of leaders, poverty, unemployment, amongst others, 

“We recommend for high level vigilance, community policing to  reduce vulnerability of kididnapping.

“We call for strengthening of Joint Task force, Inter-agency security meetings and briefing, training and capacity building of personnel.

“Developing a seamless communication network amongst agencies, strengthening national security strategy” the communique maintained.

Speaking during the conference, a former Assistant Commissioner of police, Paddy Ogon, stated that should the federal government heed to their clarion call, the nation would be in a proper position to bounce back to its feet once again.

Ogon stated that essence of the security stakeholders conference was to identify security challenges bedeviling the nation, and to devise strategies for addressing them.