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South-West Govs,Traditional Rulers, Others Meet To Strategise On Security, Safety Of The Region

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4 years ago

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Some leaders in South-West today meet to discuss the safety and security of the region.
News Rain Nigeria reports that governors, traditional rulers, and some ministers in the South-West region of the Country met in Lagos on Sunday, 8th November 2020 to proffer solutions to the security challenges that are currently starring in the region.

The stakeholders who seem to have been disturbed by the destruction done in the region during the EndSARS Protests and insecurity in the region met to find lasting solutions to the Challenge.

South-West Govs, Traditional Rulers, Others Meet To Strategise On Security, Safety Of The Region

News Rain Nigeria gathered that the meeting which was hosted by the Lagos State southwest governors had in attendance the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu,  governors of the South-West region, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State,  Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola from Osun State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, of Ondo State who equally is the Chairman of the Governor’s Forum in the region.
The traditional rulers present at the meeting are, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, while the  Ministers of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, led other Ministers like the Information and Culture, Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, Trade and Investments, Niyi Adebayo, and others, to the meeting.
All the stakeholders present at the meeting urges President Muhammadu Buhari to revisit and review the border closure to make which according to them has caused economic hardship for the entire populace of the Country.
The stakeholders at the meeting also called on the Federal Government to come up with Comprehensive Youth employment, empowerment of people, they also demanded urgent resolution of government and ASUU issues.
Southwest Governors and traditional rulers at the meeting asked President Muhammadu Buhari to revisit the prolonged border closure, saying it had caused economic difficulties to the people, especially those in border communities.
 
The southwest leaders also urged the Federal Government to come up with a comprehensive program that addresses youth employment and empowerment and a review of the curricular of tertiary institutions with an emphasis on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
 
In a communiqué issued at the end of stakeholders meeting with President Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Ministers, Inspector General of Police, Director of Department of State Services (DSS), among other security agencies held at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, the Southwest Governors, and monarchs also called for concerted efforts to urgently resolve the impasse between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government so that students can return to school in earnest.
 
All the southwest Governors and key traditional rulers were in attendance at the meeting, while the communiqué was jointly signed by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State who is the Chairman of Southwest Governors Forum, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
 
The communiqué is reproduced below: A communique issued today (Sunday 8th November 2020) after a meeting of Governors and Traditional Rulers of the South West States and Presidential delegation, including Ministers from the South West.
We express appreciation to Mr. President and his administration for the responsiveness to the initial demands of the ENDSARS demonstrators and for his firm handling of the aftermaths of the protest.
 
We endorse the call by traditional rulers call for regular consultations with state governors and federal authorities on challenges facing the state and for appropriate recognition of their role in the Constitution. 
 
The security architecture of the country requires adjustment to adequately address the threats and realities of insecurity in the country. There should be more police presence in communities in the Southwest states.
 
While there are legitimate concerns contained in the initial ENDSARS movement, these have been hijacked by criminal and other elements with ulterior and negative forces and degenerated into anarchy.
 
There is a need to undertake preventive actions aimed at the prevention of repeat of what happened in the country following the ENDSARS demonstrators. Security needs to be strengthened in all states. 
 
We wish to encourage the Nigerian Police by responding to their needs and appeal to them to do more to protect lives and properties and enhance security all over the country.
We call for specific measures and proposals to repair the damage done to the physical infrastructure and economic assets of the South West.
 
Review of reports of constitutional conferences including 2014 National Conference and implement some of the recommendations especially with reference to security, economy, equal treatment for citizens all over the country.
 
We believe that the prolonged closure of the border has caused economic difficulties and should be re-examined to alleviate the problems of the people in the border communities and the prices of some essential commodities. There is a need to review the closure and permit the resumption of economic and trading activities.
 
A comprehensive program that addresses youth employment and empowerment should be prioritized. Closer coordination and complementarity between the states and the Federal Government. In this regard, the curricular of tertiary institutions should be reviewed, with emphasis placed on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship. 
 
We recognize the damaging and negative impact of fake/false news and worry about its destructive and dangerous potency of fake news. We call on the federal government to use the instrumentality of existing laws and those regulations bench-marked from other countries to provide safeguards against the spread of fake news. 2015 Cyber Act will also be fully used. 
 
Federal Government should ensure that technology is used effectively for the advancement of Nigerian Security and not its destruction by working with the technology cum social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. The regime of checks and gatekeeping should be fully employed.
 
We urge that every effort should be made to resolve the impasse between ASUU and the federal government so that students can return to school in earnest.
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