By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has insisted that the security situation has relatively improved across all parts of the country.

In his keynote address at the stakeholders’ engagement on current security challenges in the North West geo-political zone on Thursday in Kaduna, the SGF added that the insurgents in the North East have been decimated considerably.

He said over 30,000 insurgents and their families have so far surrendered, adding that the threats of the separatists in the South East and parts of South South geo-political Zones have reduced in traction.

“In the maritime domain, our waters are now calm and we no longer receive reports of daily attacks by pirates,” he said.

Mustapha however noted that the choice of Kaduna to host the stakeholders’ engagement was strategic as the old headquarters of the Northern Region and also one of the States most hit by armed banditry.

“It is gratifying to note that the security situation has relatively improved across all parts of the country,” the SGF said, adding that, “troops of Operation SHARAN DAJI, in conjunction with personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other intelligence/security and para-Military agencies, have sustained onslaught against the criminal elements during which several of the bandits were eliminated.”

According to the SGF, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has taken far-reaching measures to tackle insecurity in the country.

“Some of the measures include; increase in budgetary allocation as well as shoring up the equipment holding of the Military and other security agencies.

“Similarly, approval was granted for the recruitment of 10,000 Police personnel for three consecutive years while their salaries have been upwardly reviewed to boost their morale, enhance productivity and elicit hard work.

“I assure you that government is committed to ending the menace of armed banditry and other crimes in the North West Geo-Political Zone and other parts of the country hence, will leave no stone unturned to achieve that.

“We will not rest until peace, order and public safety are fully restored in our dear country. We have cruised to a high trajectory,” he added.

In his remarks, Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, said the nation was at a critical stage of its history, witnessing several significant challenges, foremost amongst which was insecurity.

He said the insecurity was in many instances linked to diversity, and in terms of diversity, Kaduna State is not just symbolic of the Northwest, but is a mini-Nigeria. It has about 10 million people, with 23 Local Government Areas and about 56 ethnic nationalities.

Aruwan explained further that the history, nature and location of Kaduna State attract a wide variety of people. “This,” according to him, “and along with the fallout from the insecurity sweeping across the region, has exposed the State to criminal activities such as armed banditry, insurgency, extremism, kidnapping, rape, drug abuse and other crimes, which have threatened peace and security. These are, unfortunately, features of most states in the Northwest.”

The Commissioner also noted that the fundamental objective of government was to ensure the security and welfare of its people.

He added that the current security threats confronting the Northwest States, particularly banditry and terrorism, have become increasingly irregular. “They require significant levels of collaboration between and across layers of government, as well as distinct groups,” he suggested.

He expressed optimism that such engagements would avail profound insight to all stakeholders and position them to effectively negate the existing challenges at community and group levels.

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