The Federal Government has reaffirmed its determination and commitment to improve the security of all citizens in the country with a view to reducing the current security challenges bedeviling the nation.
The Director of Press, Ministry of Interior, Mrs Blessing Lere-Adams, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to her, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made the disclosure at the inauguration of the committee to study the Recommendations and Implementation Strategies on Strengthening Internal Security Framework and Community Policing in Nigeria.
Aregbesola noted the journey to the event began with the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 40,2018 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), on Strengthening Internal Security Framework and Community Policing in Nigeria.
According to him, consequently, the committee observed that the absence of a National Security Policy and Strategy document and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework on internal security has negatively affected the operations of the internal security agencies in the country.
He said that this therefore, necessitated the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to approve an Inter-Ministerial Committee with all relevant stakeholders on Internal Security to be put in place.
The minister noted further that one of the nine priority areas of the present administration was to improve governance and provide security for all citizens.
“Therefore, it calls for all seriousness to provide the needed apparatus and security architecture to fight insecurity in the country,” he said.
The committee inaugurated has seven sub-Committees and their Terms of Reference (TOR).
These seven sub- committees include the Committee to develop internal security policy and strategy with Aregbesola as Chairman.
Also included is committee to Develop Mechanism for effective Synergy and Coordination among internal security agencies and Adopt Community Policing as a National Strategy with the Police Affairs Minister as Chairman.
They also included committee to develop comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for internal security operatives with the Permanent Secretary of Interior as Chairman.
Also included is committee on the Application of Appropriate Science , Technology and Innovation for Strengthening internal security management, including Forensic Satellite Imagery, Drones, CCTVs with the representative of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology Innovation as Chairman.
Others are committee on the Establishment of Internal Service Trust Fund with Permanent Secretary Ministry of Police Affairs as Chairman.
Committee on the Appropriate Devolution of Control of Resources along the chains of Command of Internal Security Agency with the Director-General, National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as Chairman.
Among them is also committee to Innovate Funding Mechanism for upgrading Equipment Holdings of Internal Security agencies and for providing needed Equipment for Security agencies with I-G, as Chairman.
“I do not need to reiterate the seriousness of this assignment, providing security for lives and property of the citizens is the primary responsibility of Government.
“This is a mission on which we cannot afford to fail.
“Three things are clear in your mandates, the first is, there must be a new and effective strategy thinking that should be at least two steps ahead of these current challenges.
“Especially, the recent incidences at the correctional facilities which are no longer internal insurrection by inmates but mass armed invasion from outside,” he said.
According to him, new strategy therefore, must emerge to tackle these new challenges.
“Secondly, is the issue of galvanising resources, human, financial and technology .The third concern is community policing.
“The people are the primary agents in their security, nevertheless , they must be socialised and well organised along that line-with the people in the first line of Defence.
“Therefore, if people are organised for their own security, it makes the work of security agencies easier,” he said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore, expressed his appreciation to the minister and the Executive Course (SEC) 40,2018 of NIPSS, for the report and documents on Monitoring and Evaluation Framework on Internal Security.
This, he noted, prompted the President to approve the Inter-Ministerial Committee.
Also, the Director, Planning Research and Statistics, Mr Ayuba Kabir, thanked all members that attended the inauguration and appreciated the Minister and the Permanent Secretary for ensuring a successful inauguration.