Expert Hinges Solution On Empowering Traditional Rulers, Institutions To Fight Insecurity

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure 

A Professor of Criminology, Femi Odekunle yesterday said the lasting solution to the problem of insecurity in the country was to empower the traditional rulers and institutions by making funds available for them to fund security in their domains. 

Professor Odekunle stated this in Akure, at the 2019 Ondo state Security Summit. Theme, “Improving The Security Architecture Of Ondo State For Sustainable Peace And Development”.

Odekunle who was the lead speaker at the summit said traditional rulers should be saddles with the responsibility of securing their domains in order to assist the government at all levels in tackling insecurity.

Specifically, Professor Odekunle urged the National Assembly and the 36 State Houses of Assembly to make legislation against insecurity,saying that would bring an end to insecurity in the country.

He said “There should be legislation to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of security work and administration in all the states. By this I mean there can be legislation to enforce regular security patrol, intelligence based policing and stipendiary justice administration.”

Also, he advised that the government should establish an advisory social science based “State Crime Prevention and Control” body for articulation and co-ordination of the objectives of crime prevention and control instrumentality in all the states.

He identified corruption as the basis of insecurity in the country and urged Nigerians to support the fight against corruption by the present administration, saying, this will also put an end to crime and insecurity in the country.

In his speech, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said his administration was committed to the fight against insecurity, saying that the provision of adequate security was capital intensive and consequently.

His words, “Insecurity has been a major challenge globally. There is hardly any Continent in the world without its own peculiar socio-economic issues. The African Continent grapples with serious challenges of existence which have had debilitating impact on the people’s development.

“It is, therefore, expedient that we put in place the necessary security architecture that would enhance all-round development of the State and protect the citizens and investors operating in the State.

“We need to involve all well-meaning individuals to ensure that our environment is free of crime”.