2023 election: Avoid actions that worsen insecurity- Cattle rearers to presidential candidates
Sequel to the persistent reiteration by the presidential candidates on their plan to employ a hundred thousand or one million security personnel if elected,
the reiteration was made by their representative during a BBC Hausa program titled ‘RA’AYI RIGA’ aired on Friday, 10-2-2023, of which, Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) wish to strongly state that in its view, employment of hundred thousands or one million personnel into the Nigerian army is not and will never be the solution to the nation’s security problem; it would rather exacerbate the security problem than solving it.
In a statement signed by the national president of KACRAN Khalil Mohammed Bello, said the association arrived at the said standpoint for the following reasons:
Though the Association is not denying the fact that there is a need to increase the number of security personnel in Nigeria, the number of security personnel desired in the country as of now, considering the country’s economic situation, the country will not be able to employ and maintain them; is not that number that matters but maybe around 50 to 70 thousand only that can be adequately trained and be issued with modern and sophisticated weapons commensurate to the current realities.
“Our major concern is if the government employ hundred thousand or one million personnel into the military, they will not be adequately trained or given enough superior weapons.
“And where are we going to get money to pay their salaries, especially now that government often resorts to borrowing money to pay salaries?
It should be noted that if they are not paid sufficiently and on time or fully God forbid, it means we have failed to pay them at all, so what do you think would happen to our current fragile security system?
“Why should one employ and arm more than one million armies when we are not sure of paying their monthly salaries without having to borrow more money which is not even a guarantee?
“The burning questions to ask here is if security and safety of lives and properties are eventually fully restored, is the government still going to retain them as military personnel or retrench them or give them another job which is not available or have the plan to create?
“Why is the government eager and interested to be among the countries which have millions of security personnel in the world since we are not in a war situation?” He asked.
He added that it should not be forgotten that even our current military personnel on many occasions have complained bitterly about not being catered for, or supplied with enough sophisticated weapons to fight their enemies.
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And it should not be forgotten that if everyone knows how to operate weapons and easily have access to it there is a tendency that they can easily be tempted to become bandits if they are left with hunger or bastardised by our next Governments.
“We have seen that now Ukraine is more concerned with training and acquiring powerful weapons from Western countries than recruiting or requesting for more volunteers to fight Russia or that, since the end of the second world war when America dropped atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the military might dramatically change from having million combatants armies to having dangerous weapons such as chemical dron, intercontinental blastic misles or nuclear arms?
“KACKRAN explained that massive employment of military personnel will create a situation where the bandits and other separatists will be fighting untrained military personnel which be highly embarrassing/demoralizing and detrimental to the nation’s security.
“Based on the above reasons, KACRAN wish to suggest the following as the map road to end Nigeria’s insecurity.
1. Identifying the reason why people are taking arms and becoming bandits or separatists to engage them in dialogue and identify which government will fight with all its military might.
2. Establish many industries and factories that will create jobs for millions of youths and also serve as a strategy to reduce insecurity in our country.
3. KACRAN is also of the view that, giving the already existing security personnel good training and issuance of enough deadly weapons is more important than employing one million military personnel whose salary, allowances, training and weapons will be unbearable to the Federal Government.
4. Timely payment of salaries, allowances and entitlements will motivate them to be highly docile, loyal and committed to the defence of lives, property and the country as their fatherland.
5. Showing them love, respect, and assurances for medical treatment in case they are wounded on the battlefield.
6. The families of Security personnel who lost their lives while defending the country must be treated with extraordinary care and their demands such as feeding, children’s school fees, daily needs etc, be fully provided by the government.
“Once more, KACRAN believes that the creation of state police will never solve the problem of security in the states; instead, it will bring more avoidable burden to the government, likewise the unnecessary employmenhundreddredd thousand or one million additional military personnel would be harmful not helpful to the security system.
“In conclusion, we once again, want to draw the attention of our hopeful presidential candidates that, employment of the aforementioned military or security personnel without adequately taking care of our existing one is not the right answer or solution to our security challenges. And we are hopeful and prayerful that, the aforementioned suggestions should be adhered to, and implemented”.
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