Politicians Have Hijacked Recruitments Into Security Agencies, Zulum Alleges
By Kolade Adeyemi, Jos
Borno Governor Babagana Zulum has revealed why the nation’s security system is seldom compromised.
He alleged that that recruitment into security agencies has become highly politicised.
According to him, the undue influence of politicians has made it almost impossible for the country to get the required commitment and dedication from those recruited into security agencies.
Zulum stated this while delivering a lecture titled: “Ungoverned space and insecurity in the Sahelian Region: Implications for Nigeria domestic peace and security ” to participants of Executive course 43 2021 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Plateau State.
According to him: “The major problem is recruitment process, those being recruited into Nigerian Army, Police, and other security agencies are job seekers, many of them are there because they don’t have a job. Those enlisted twenty years ago are performing well but these people are looking for employment only, so there’s no commitment and dedication.
“These days the Governors, Ministers and other top government functionaries have slots, nobody is to interview them whether they are qualified or not. Admission into Nigerian Army, Police and others are now politicised.”
The Governor also kicked against state police, saying it will further worsen the security challenges rather than addressing them.
“Honestly speaking I Babagana Zulum will not support it not because I don’t like it but because of the implications. Nigeria is not mature for state police. Some state Governors can use it to wipe away other tribes apart from their tribes.
“So we have to be very careful. If half of the power given to the Nigeria Army, Police and other are given to state police, Nigeria will be in the problem,” he said
He also has called on the security operatives to intensify their efforts in the fight against terrorism because the battle is still intense and yet to be over
He said terrorism has taken another dimension with the involvement of ISWAP which, he explained, are more sophisticated, armed and globally connected than Boko Haram.
According to him, the Boko Haram insurgents have caused a lot of havoc already in the country, pointing out that between 2011-2015 alone, they destroyed about 5000 classrooms, 800 municipal villages, among other destructions in Borno State.
He further stressed that most of the nation’s forests are not well guarded, thus making the country vulnerable.
Zulum said the death of some Boko Haram commanders should not make the nation to relax in the fight against terrorism because it was ‘not yet uhuru’.
He urged security operatives and police to take welfare of their staff seriously as some of their personnel are selling sugarcane and other items in some Borno communities.
Zulum said all hands must be on deck in the fight against terrorism as only the Federal Government alone cannot do it.
– The Nation
