The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has identified gaps in Nigeria’s security architecture and urged citizens to begin actively demanding accountability from those in charge of security.
The organisation, which stated at a media workshop in Adamawa State’s capital on Thursday that previously unimaginable crimes and anti-social acts have become the norm, blamed it on flaws in the country’s handling of security matters.Executive Director of the organisation, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), in an address at the ‘Media Workshop on Defence Anti-Corruption Reportage, Civil Space and Oversight’ which was held in Yola, spoke of wrong and prolonged deployment of personnel in battle field, lack of transparency and accountability in fund management, procurement and project implementation, personnel recruitment process, personnel welfare, sub standard kits and equipment, as among the gaps harming the fight against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, among other vices.
Challenging Nigerians in their various callings to play their part in concerted efforts against insecurity, the CISLAC executive director said, “We must not sit and watch a corrupt few embezzle money meant for the welfare of security personnel, procurement of arms and ammunition.
“Many people known and unknown to us have been killed, maimed, kidnapped, robbed of their loved ones, properties and sources of livelihood. Terrorist attacks and kidnappings for outrageous ransom has become a norm in Nigeria. The question is: who will be the next victim?
“We must begin to question the actions and inactions of the government and to demand accountability for budgetary allocations meant for defence and security. It is time that the quest for reform in our defence and security institutions transcends from mere words to an all-inclusive participation in the formulation and effective implementation of policies.”
The media workshop in Yola which attracted reporters mostly from Adamawa and some other North East states, was designed to enhance the knowledge of journalists on probable areas within the defence and security sector budgetary process and expenditures, for effective investigative journalism.
