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Okiro insists, State Police is not feasible under Nigeria’s current setting

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Mike Okiro

***State govt can hardly pay workers salary

**may work only with the Canadian Model

The much talked about decentralisation of the Nigeria Police Force can not achieve its desired objective as the inherent factors that led to its failure in the past have not been addressed, Retired Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro has indicated

Okiro spoke with journalists on the sideline of the 2023 Convention of the Old Seminarians Association of Nigeria (OSAN), hosted by the Clerk to the Senate, Mr. Chinedu Akubueze, in Abuja.

The former IGP explained that at the inception of the Nigerian police, authorities of the sub regional institutions had their own police separate from the ones being controlled by the central government.

According to him, the state police idea can not work due to paucity of funds at both the state and local government areas.

He wondered how the states and local government areas that cannot effectively pay the salaries of their workers would be able to fund their own police.

Okiro, however said the only way the state police could work was for Nigeria to adopt the Canadian model.

The Canadian model, according to him, would involved the states recruiting the police personnel who would be funded by the Federal Government.

He said, “The only way we can have state police in Nigeria is to adopt the Canadian model, where every region has its own police employed by the region and paid by the federal.

“For example, in Nigeria every governor wouldl employ their own police, equip them while they would be paid by the Federal Government.

“Before the advent of what we have now, we had ‘dandoka’,  we had police in the West, we also had police in the East.

“Local governments had their Police, but because of the behaviour of the local police officers, during the time of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon in 1971 or thereabout, he turned it to the Nigeria Police Force.

“I am opposed to the state police because of the benefit of hindsight, how they behaved in those days, unless you want to throw away the benefits of history”, he said.

The former IGP lamented that the police is going down the drain, confronted with so many problems.

He said, “There is no equipment, no manpower, no welfare. They are demoralized, and  frustrated.

“We need to ginger the police to do something, by encouraging them”.

“I have equally said time without number, everything has advantages and disadvantages, merits and demerits.

“If you adopt state police, the state government that cannot pay teachers, nurses and doctors, can they pay the police?

“You cannot afford to owe police one month salary, insecurity will be at the highest level in that state. If the state governments can’t  pay the civil servants, I wonder how they can pay the police.”

He appealed to the Federal Government to invest heavily on equipping and training of the police in order to tackle the current insecurity in the country.

Okiro said, “There is gross insecurity in the country. You know Nigeria is part of the world. Insecurity is a global issue, but every country sits down to plan and to devise methods to check   insecurity.

“In Nigeria, the government is equally trying to check insecurity. You cannot get 100 per cent but you can be sure you have done your best and leave the rest to God.

“The government should ensure that security agencies are well equipped and trained. Police is short of manpower, they should recruit more people and give them equipment to solve the problem.

“You cannot solve the problem of insecurity with bare hand. We are in a modern, digitalised world.

“So, you fight insecurity with technology. The government should do something to ensure that security agencies are well equipped to confront these criminals, because the criminals go to the internet, they read. So, they are ahead of the security agencies.

“For you to succeed, the security agencies should be ahead of them and tackle them before they do what they want to do.”

The Clerk to the Senate in his welcome address, identified lack of patriotism among Nigerians as a major ill bedeviling the country.

Akubueze said, “The Nigerian society is bedeviled by self-imposed ills. occasioned by our lack of collective sense of patriotism which, ordinarily should emphasize love for the nation rather than undue recourse to ethno-religious cleavages and clannish leanings.

“Here in OSAN, we are set to chart a new course of national consciousness aimed at cementing the bonds that hold us together as Nigerians rather than the dissimilarities that tend to tear us apart.

“Our sense of fraternity is one that recognizes the fact that we are of diverse ethnic extractions, yet bonded together by a common heritage, a scenario that has helped in fostering love, camaraderie and collective sense of responsibility and purposefulness within our rank and file.

“Of course,we have no doubts whatsoever that OSAN is an Association whose future prosperity is guaranteed, a brotherhood of likeminded individuals whose members would, within the next few years, seize the opportunities open to them to advance their wellbeing as well as that of the larger Nigerian society.

“To actualize our dreams within a record time, all hands must be on deck. We must pull resources together, both human and material in order to create a prosperous and glorious future.”

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New Terror Group Lukarawa Establishes Presence in Sokoto, Bauchi

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***Operates Across 10 Local Government Areas

The newly identified terror group, Lukarawa, has reportedly set up camps across 10 local government areas in Sokoto and Bauchi states, with a growing influence and activities in the region.
Although their presence was only recently confirmed to the public, the group is believed to have been planning their operations for years, with camps established near the Nigeria-Niger border before expanding into Nigerian territories.

According to local sources, Lukarawa initially operated in remote areas bordering Nigeria and Niger, including villages like Gwanaguano and Mulawa.
The group is known to move frequently, setting up temporary camps in communities like Tangaza and Gudu in Sokoto State, which they’ve named “Darul Islam.”
The group’s members, estimated to be between 18 and 50 years old, use Hausa, Fulfulde, and Arabic in their activities.
Their leaders, reportedly including Abu Khadijah, Abdulrahaman (Idi), and Musa Walia, enforce “taxes” on livestock in local communities, collecting a percentage of cattle from residents in Gudu, Tangaza, and Illela.

Dr. Murtala Rufa’i, a researcher at Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto, revealed that Lukarawa has been operating with the goal of establishing a caliphate.
The group’s constant movement, primarily on motorcycles, makes it challenging for security forces to locate them.
Rufa’i estimates that the group has between 1,500 and 1,800 followers, including clerics and youths in Tangaza and Gudu, the ancestral home of Lukarawa’s leaders.

The group has been active in Tangaza, Gudu, Illela, and other LGAs in Sokoto State and even extends into parts of Kebbi State. Lukarawa has also attracted followers by providing locals with cash, agricultural support, and pumping machines, appealing to those struggling with poverty.

Although security agencies dislodged the group around 2020, they reportedly regrouped in late 2023. The group is said to have origins linked to Jama’atu Muslimina, a Sahelian terror network, and its leader, Ahmadu Kofa, is believed to be Malian-based, with ancestral ties to the Kebbi region in Nigeria.

Residents in affected areas are reluctant to report the group due to fear, as Lukarawa has reportedly warned locals against sharing information, claiming they monitor communities with drones. One resident in Tangaza LGA, identified as Mainasara, recounted the recent abduction and killing of a youth suspected of cooperating with security forces.

Government Response

The National Counter-Terrorism Centre has assessed Lukarawa’s active fighters to be around 150, describing the group as “insignificant” but noting its recruitment efforts to expand its influence. Speaking to journalists, Major General Adamu Laka, the National Coordinator of the Centre, assured that counter-terrorism efforts are underway and downplayed the threat posed by Lukarawa, asserting that the group would soon be neutralized.

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Acting Army Chief, Oluyede in Sokoto over rising threat from new terror group ‘Lakurawa’

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Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede

The Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has arrived in Sokoto for his first operational visit to the 8th Division Area of Responsibility, following reports of increased terrorist activities by a new group, ‘Lakurawa,’ in Sokoto and Kebbi states.

During his visit, General Oluyede will engage with the Sultan of Sokoto and other local leaders and stakeholders, as well as troops involved in Operation Fasan Yamma, the military’s counter-terrorism effort in the northwest.

His visit is coming just days after the Defence Headquarters confirmed the emergence of Lakurawa, a terror group believed to be linked to militants in the Sahel, particularly from Mali and Niger.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, explained that the group’s rise follows recent regional instability and the breakdown of security collaboration between Nigeria and Niger after the recent coup in Niger.

“We’re now facing a new terrorist sect in the northwest region known as Lakurawa. They’ve been identified as affiliates of terror networks in Mali and Niger,” General Buba said. “Their infiltration is centered in northern Nigeria, mainly Sokoto and Kebbi states.”

Five local government areas in Sokoto are reportedly under threat from the group, which has intensified local security challenges.
In response, Nigerian troops have scaled up their operations to contain Lakurawa’s spread, with intensified patrols and surveillance in affected regions.
The military has also released a list of nine individuals wanted in connection with the security issues facing the northwest.

General Oluyede’s visit reaffirms the military’s resolve to combat the rise in terrorism and reinforce security efforts in vulnerable regions. By meeting local leaders and frontline troops, the Acting Army Chief is reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to stabilizing the region and protecting communities from emerging threats.

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Nigeria Fortifies Cyber Defenses with Landmark Workshop to Safeguard Critical Infrastructure

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Wale Edun, Mohammed Badaru and Nuhu Ribadu.

In a decisive move to strengthen Nigeria’s defenses against cyber threats, the Federal Government has hosted a Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Protection and Resilience Workshop, bringing together key policymakers, security agencies, and sector regulators at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja.

The workshop, a landmark event aimed at fortifying cybersecurity across critical sectors, saw the participation of high-profile leaders including Finance Minister Wale Edun, Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
Director of Information and Public Relations Muhammed Manga in a statement said the workshop underscored the growing importance of cybersecurity in protecting Nigeria’s digital infrastructure amidst a global rise in cyber threats.
The statement quoted Edun to have highlighted the urgency of safeguarding digital assets, noting a surge in cyber threats impacting government and private sectors.
“To truly understand the extent of the commitment made to cybersecurity, one only needs to look at this gathering of our nation’s foremost leaders,” Edun stated, adding that Nigeria’s cybersecurity efforts are critical for both national security and economic resilience.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu outlined the workshop’s key objectives, emphasizing a coordinated strategy to protect Nigeria’s digital landscape from cyber-attacks.
Ribadu explained that the event was integral to fulfilling an executive mandate under the amended Cybercrimes Act, which authorizes the designation of essential computer systems and networks as critical infrastructure.
This designation mandates their protection, ensuring the security of key systems that support both the nation’s security and its economic infrastructure.

The workshop attracted significant stakeholders in national security and governance, including EFCC Executive Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede, NSCDC Commandant General Ahmed Audi, and Nigeria Governors’ Forum Director General Abdulateef Shittu, reflecting the priority given to cybersecurity at the highest levels of government.

The event will culminate in a strategic action plan aimed at fortifying cybersecurity resilience across Nigeria’s essential infrastructure sectors.
This comprehensive roadmap will guide efforts to implement effective cybersecurity measures to ensure the resilience

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