.Says silence is not palatable
By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
Former Assistant Director at the State Security Service (SSS), Dennis Amachree, has called on the Nigerian government to address the country’s high level insecurity.
Amachree, on Channels Television, Thursday said that the country was currently in a “tight place” on security.
He pleaded with the presidency to speak up and address the situation.
On the statement by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who on Wednesday, accused the Federal Government of bias by keeping quiet on the herders-farmers crisis recently rocking some parts of the country, he said: “I will agree with the governor because the security problems need to be addressed. The silence is not too palatable. It will be like two people are fighting and the umpire is being biased against one. I feel this has to be addressed.
“If you look at it holistically you will find out that we have two problems here. First is the structure because everybody is talking about regions. So we have structure as a problem.
“The second one is the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. So we will have to address it. I will advise the government that they address the problem along that line.”
The security expert also advised the federal government to give autonomy to regions across the country for proper tracking down of crime and criminality.
His words: “The people are agitating for regionalism, then give the region’s autonomy. That does not mean that we are breaking up Nigeria.
“If the regions have the autonomy then they all can handle their problems where they are. Right now, there are too many pointing of fingers whenever something happens and you can no longer continue to do that.”
Governor Ortom had on Wednesday pointed accusing fingers at the Federal Government, claiming that the government has failed to secure the country by being bias in handling cases of attacks allegedly carried out by armed herdsmen.
“This country belongs to all of us and the Federal Government, the presidency must act fast because time is going. From North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East, South-South there is general insecurity and this is being propelled by herdsmen,” Ortom said.
Recall that in an effort to tackle insecurity in the country, Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, on Wednesday asked the Federal government to allow Nigerians carry licenced guns to defend themselves amid the myriads of security challenges facing the country.
Ishaku stated this when 15 local government chairmen of the state paid him a condolence visit after the burial of one of them who was kidnapped and subsequently killed by gunmen.
He lamented the worsening state of insecurity, adding that the situation has gone to its lowest ebb and demands reawakening.