Lawan suggests ways to fight insecurity in Nigeria

Senate President, Ahmed Lawan has spoken on the need to adopt a system that would reduce the insecurity challenge being faced by Nigerians.

The Senate President called for a review of the nation’s security architecture to pave the way for restructuring that will allow other tiers of government to intervene.

Lawan made the call in an interview with journalists on Monday in Abuja.

According to him, the Senate would summon the heads of the various security agencies in the country this week to work out a realistic arrangement that could tackle the menace.

Speaking on his position on regional intervention by governors to tackle insecurity, Lawan said: “I am not the Senate, the senators made me the Senate President so I cannot tell you the position of the Senate.

“One thing is clear, all hands must be on deck, federal, states, local and even the citizens. Because wherever you see security improving, the citizens play their role very well.

“The onus lies largely on government. I believe we should engage with the security agencies in the Senate to find out why the deterioration in many parts of the country.

“We have had a series of engagements before but the escalation has made it mandatory that we have a definite position as a government.

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“We just cannot play politics with this. Lives are at stake and definitely the Senate will take a very definite position on how security in this country should be.

“I believe personally, we should restructure the security architecture.

“The present (centralised) system does not appear to give us the kind of outcome that we need.

“Whether it is the federal, state or local government; even the traditional rulers or others, the most important thing is to secure the lives and property of Nigerians and we would do that.

“We should ensure that we change the way we approach the security issues in this country. Apparently the system has not been working efficiently and effectively and we have to do something.”

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