Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja
A university teacher, an erudite professor of Criminology and Sociology of Law, Etannibi Alemika, has identified bad governance and corruption in the system as responsible for high rate of insecurity in Nigeria at the moment.
Professor Alemika, who was the guest lecturer at the 12th Distinguished Public Lecture at the Federal University Lokoja at the weekend declared that security agents alone cannot solve the problem of insecurity in any given nation.
In the lecture titled: ‘Combating Insecurity Through Good Governance and Partnership Between Government and Citizens’, the don maintained that the alarming cases of insurgency, banditry, kidnapping among others can only be tackled via good governance and corruption-free society.
The guest lecturer, who noted that insecurity is a global problem and not only in Nigeria, recommended that provision of basic infrastructure that would enhance the living conditions of citizens by the government is the surest way to end the menace and corruption in the system.
He explained that corruption on the other hand is not only about financial inducement to perpetuate evil, but generally about not doing things in the right or correct way either to favour someone or please as the case may be.
“Citizens should strive to complement in tackling insecurity through imbibing the spirit of good character of doing the rights and avoiding the wrongs
“A nation that gives much priority to accountability, honesty, integrity and transparency will have better chances of secured lives and environment for citizens to coexist
“Both the executive and legislative arms of government at all levels should therefore, strive to live above board in their constitutional responsibility to protect citizens against insecurity so that there will be no space for criminals to go after them
“Poverty and Illiteracy constitute another serious threat to security of lives and property in any society. If you want security in place among nations across the globe, government of the day must ensure that poverty and Illiteracy is eradicated or reduced to the barest minimum,” Professor Alemika stated.
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, in his welcome address, said that the topic of the lecture is not only timely but a cherished development in view of the prevailing high level of insecurity bedeviling Nigeria presently.
Professor Akinwumi appealed to political leaders and other top government officials in the three tiers not to relent in exercising their constitutional duties to guarantee the safety of all citizens.
