At UNIZIK event, minister blames inefficient intelligence, others for insecurity

Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd) has decried rising insecurity, blaming the development on lack of efficient intelligence system.

He made the submission at a one-day security summit, yesterday, by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, with the theme: “The Nigerian National Question: Implications for National Unity.”

Represented by his Special Adviser, Technical, Ahmed Jibrin, the minister also observed that lack of will by military and paramilitary agencies to utilise available intelligence during the various counter-terrorism operations was fuelling the situation.

He regretted that the situation is being worsened by apparent compromise of security stakeholders.

According to him, it was high time government looked at governance failure at the state and local levels, which he said, had been unable to address issues of poverty and hunger, resulting to sustained insecurity.

Magashi lamented that while some Nigerian elite pursue their demands for equitable distribution of democracy dividends peacefully, others do theirs via violence, thus endangering the safety, development and progress of the nation.

Earlier, Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Uche Nwogwugwu, harped on the need for critical stakeholders to urgently tackle the insecurity in the country by amicably addressing issues that encourage the menace.