Insecurity not properly tackled by previous governments

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle lamented in Abuja, Thursday, that the problem of insecurity bedeviling the country was not properly tackled by previous governments.

Matawalle made the lamentation when he along with the substantive Minister of Defence, Ababakar Badaru, appeared before the Senate Committee on Defence as regards state of security in the country.

Matawalle in making the lamentation, said: “As a former Governor of Zamfara , I know what I went through on the issue of insecurity, particularly banditry which is new to us in the north west.

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“The issue of Boko Haram is new in the north east and our system because of what has been transpired in previous governments , the issue was not taken seriously and not well tackled.

“However, today, actions are being made and decisive operations taken against the criminal elements.

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“The issue of security needs collective cooperation from state, local governments and federal government for Nigerians. We need key legislations as well, to tackle the problem.

“Provision has just been made for two new attack helicopters which would help in confronting the menace.”

But in his earlier submission, the Minister of Defence, told the committee that there is synergy among the Service Chiefs in the fight against insecurity in the country.

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In his remarks, the chairman of the committee , Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC Yobe North), assured the two minister of appropriate appropriation for Defence in the 2024 budget, saying “security comes before anything else and government is very much aware of that.”