Williams Anuku, Abuja Correspondent
The presidency on Wednesday,launched a new security strategy in a bid to bring to an end challenges associated with insurgency and other criminal vices.
The move, sources believes may not have been unconnected with unending level of insecurity bedevilling the country.
The event which had as it’s theme: “National Security Strategy 2019″, afforded Buhari an opportunity to reel out contemporary challenges security officials were saddled with and how Nigerian stakeholders could be of assistance.
The President said,” the numerous security challenges confronting the nation made it necessary to come up with articulated, comprehensive and coordinated response that involves all segments of the society and all elements of the national power”.
The President expressed gladness that the National Security Strategy 2019 was a product of painstaking and rigorous deliberations by relevant stakeholders committed with the task of safeguarding the nation from internal and external threats.
According to him the strategy represents “a thoughtful, strategic and practical expression of our resolve to make Nigeria safe for development, investment, growth and prosperity for everybody.
“As we continue to work towards completely ending insurgency in the north east and laying the foundation of sustainable peace and development in the region, we are also addressing conflicts between farmers and herders, banditry and various forms of security challenges”.
He noted that in addition to security, economic diversification and fighting corruptions, his administration priorities for the second term include pursuing improvements in education, healthcare and agriculture.
“These priorities reflect our commitment to enhancing the social security of Nigerians as a means of improving their physical security.
“I’m happy to observe that the National Security Strategy reflects this thinking with emphasis on overall human security. I’m pleased also to know that the strategy emerged after a long time consultative and participatory process that elicited contributions primarily from our security, intelligence, law enforcement agencies and the armed forces. Other stakeholders such as ministries, department and agencies and the civil society were also contributory to this strategy.
“As such, this strategy informed government wide and society wide measures designed to promote the public safety and the national security.”
President Buhari explained that security was about bottom to top operation, stressing that failure at any level will lead to serious lapse in overall security.
He called on all stakeholders from heads of ministries, departments and agencies to see themselves as stakeholders and partners in the onerous task of securing “our people and to demonstrate unity of purpose in implementing this strategy.”
