Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has charged members of the Federal and State Security Administrators Committee to adopt new internal security strategies by finding lasting solutions to security challenges across the country.
Declaring open a two-day security meeting for committee members in Bauchi, the governor said, “We cannot compromise our unity and territorial integrity as an indivisible entity, and our people must be guaranteed to sleep with both eyes closed.”
Governor Mohammed, represented by the commissioner for internal security and home affairs, Barrister Abdulhamid Bununu, said no amount of commitment or expenditure is too great to maintain peace and security in the country.
He tasked the participants, who are seasoned administrators and critical stakeholders in the administration of security in states and the nation at large, with using the meeting to review strategies and share experiences on security challenges peculiar to each state, with the aim of proffering solutions to address the rising security challenges facing the nation.
The governor said the resolve of the Bauchi State government to host the meeting is a testament to its unwavering commitment to continuing to provide the necessary support to security administrators in tackling contemporary and emerging security threats.
“We are committed to offering the needed support and fostering better understanding among all the stakeholders for seamless tackling of the ever-evolving security challenges facing our states to make the nation secure and secure. Therefore, I commend the efforts of the secretary to the Government of the Federation and the FSSAM secretariat for organising this important forum.
“The Bauchi State government has been supporting and collaborating with the state’s federal and other security agencies to perform their constitutional duties. We also engage in non-kinetic efforts and intensify peace-building initiatives by leveraging the relevant layers of government, security infrastructure, and traditional institutions to fight against insecurity in the state. Our government also educates the citizens through conventional and social media. We dialogue with religious leaders to help keep the citizens informed on the security situation and dispel false and inciting rumours. We also ensure credible intelligence gathering that maintains the momentum in the fight against crime,” he said.
According to him, the primary responsibility of any government is to provide security and welfare for its people and in light of the rising spate of threats to security across the country, his administration has adopted new initiatives to better manage internal security with the creation of the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
He said the ministry was mandated to formulate and coordinate policies on internal security and intelligence gathering in the states, liaise with all federal and state security agencies, conventional and non-conventional, and monitor and coordinate interfaith relations in liaison with the Ministry for Religious Affairs.
The secretary to the federal government, Senator George Akume, represented by the acting permanent secretary on special services, Tukur Yahaya, appreciated Governor Mohammed for his administration’s investment in the security sector and appealed to all the stakeholders to join hands with the authorities to rid the country of all forms of insecurity.
