*To establish central security database
To further strengthen efforts at ending insecurity and attendant consequences on the citizens and the economy, the federal government has unveiled a five year strategic plan to boost internal security.
Making public the plan yesterday in Abuja, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said because internal security is integral to national security and prosperity, the key role the newly launched strategic plan stands to play in national security and the promotion of good governance cannot be overemphasized.
He said the five-year “Plan for the Ministry and its Services and Board was the aftermath of the second Ministerial Strategy Retreat held at Ilorin, Kwara-State in 2021, where decision was reached to develop a strategic plan that would serve as a guide for all the programmes, projects and policies of the ministry, its Services and Board in attaining its overall ministerial mandate of fostering the maintenance of internal security and citizenship integrity for the promotion of good governance.”
The minister explained that the plan will be implemented through the ministry’s agencies and board including the Nigerian Correctional Service, (NCoS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), the Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS), and the Federal Fire Service, (FFS).
Aregbesola said “The Ministry of Interior is integral to national security and prosperity in a way that many do not readily grasp.
“These are done through the four services of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), monitoring comings and goings at our borders and ensuring that those who are likely to harm us and our welfare from the outside are kept at bay.
“The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) complements the police and other law enforcement agencies in combating crime and intelligence gathering while the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), keeps custody of those lawfully sentenced or awaiting trial and the Federal Fire Service (FFS) respond to fire and other emergencies.”
He explained further that ‘the Ministry also registers marriage and regulates the presence of foreigners in our midst.
These services are essential to the security of any nation and the well-being of the people.
“Though there are still challenges here and there, but thousands of thousands of cases that would have put the nation into chaos are addressed daily and nipped in the bud. This has enabled us to sleep with both eyes closed and go about our daily business without any fear or worry.
Giving more insights into the functionality of the plan, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, said that the plan targets the achievement of set goals and objectives of the ministry, its agencies and the board for both mid and long terms.
According to him, “The strategic plan provides directions for both long and short-term plans as well as analyse current internal security situations in Nigeria, looks into daily security challenges as well as the overall security architecture and national security policies.
Another section of the plan looks at the strategy implementation and all that is required to implement it.
He said the key pillars of the plan is safety and security, provision of internal security, citizenship integrity, transparency and service delivery.
“The plan includes the establishment of a central security database that aligns natural human resources for safety and security.
Others he said, include the strengthening of the marriage registry and the expatriate quota considerations.
