The Association of Resident Communities in Sokoto (ARCOS) has inaugurated a 12-member security committee that will gather intelligence to assist in maintaining the peace and security of the state.
Addressing members of the association before inaugurating the security committee, ARCOS chairman Mr Dare Samuel Olumunmi said the committee has become necessary to help stem the tides of fake news, rumours, and misleading security-related narratives, mostly on social media spaces capable of creating chaos.
Giving background on why the security committee was set up, the intelligently vibrant and outspoken chairman, Olubunmi, said it was established after a meeting with one of the security agencies in Sokoto, who advised that they should do that as a way of contributing to a peaceful atmosphere for all.
Olubunmi, who hails from Isonlu in Yagba East local government area of Kogi State and is chairman of ARCOS, said, “Going by the security challenges faced by Nigerians, in one of our recent engagements with a head of security agency in the state, he wanted to share something with us and asked if we did have a security committee, which we responded with a no.
“He then advised us to set up a security committee for easy sharing of intel, and clarification of misinformation, malinformation, disinformation, fake news and deep fakes, which was the reason for setting up this committee today”.
The 12-member security committee is to be chaired by Master Warrant Officer ( MWO) Abubakar Godobe from Adamawa, with Ankeli Emmanuel from Benue as secretary.
Other members include, Staff Sageant Gbadamosi Abdulazeez, (Oyo) Musa Idris Ajodo (Kogi), Comrade Bello Nuhu Ebira (Kogi), Prince J.P. Iredia (Edo), Rose Sheyi SOKAPU (Kaduna), Bege Sunday SOKAPU, (Kaduna), Dr Caroline Okafor (Delta), Barrister Busari Mudasiru (Ondo), Dr Moses Elllah (Cross Rivers) and Elder Ishaku Yari Gadzama (Adamawa).
While noting that members of the security committee are people of proven integrity, Olumunmi said, any member of ARCOS who comes across security-related information should be able to communicate the same to the committee for all necessary checks with relevant authorities before posting to the association’s platform.
In his appeal to the 26 registered resident communities of ARCOS, the chairman, Mr Olugbemi Dare Samuel, said, “They should remember that home is far from here. And the fact that fate and destiny have brought us to be in Sokoto, we must do everything possible to ensure that peace enjoyed in the state is sustained.
“And when issues come up that you cannot control, do not take the law into your own hands. Report to your community leaders. If it goes beyond them,it will not go beyond your state association, and if it goes beyond them, it will, by God’s grace, not be beyond ARCOS as we ensure that grievances and demands are met within the ambit of the law.”
