ONSA, Security Chiefs to hold Town Hall meetings with State Governors, others over national insecurity

In a deliberate bid to strengthen the nation’s response to the growing insecurity countrywide, the Office National Security Adviser (ONSA), has announced that it will lead a delegation of Heads of Federal Law Enforcement, Security and Intelligence Agencies to hold Town Hall meetings with the State Governors, Traditional and Religious Leaders, members of the Legislature, Non-Governmental, Youth and Women Organisations.

The Town Hall engagements involving the critical stakeholders, as announced by the ONSA, had as sole agenda item the worsening security situation in the country.

The series of meetings would begin Monday, February 15, 2021 in Kaduna and would be replicated in all the geo-political zones in the country, according to axstatement by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno, in a statement on Saturday.

Monguno said this was in furtherance of Federal Government’s commitment to address multiple security threats facing Nigeria, following the spate of criminality in the country.

The statement indicated that the meetings would provide opportunities for direct assessment of  the security situation, generate local feedback and recommendations, encourage geo-political synchronisation of effort among States and create a pathway to lasting peace and security.

The statement said that the first of the Town Hall Meetings was scheduled to hold  in Kaduna State on Monday, 15 February, 2021 with all  seven governors of the North Western States.

According to the statement: “The Federal Government is deeply concerned about the current spate of criminal activities and is taking major steps to strengthen the capacity of security agencies, while upgrading the security architecture,  and implementing  a multi-pronged strategy that involves political, humanitarian, economic and security measures.

“The National Security Adviser Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), Chief of Army Staff, Major General Attahiru Ibrahim, Representative of the Chief of Naval Staf. Com. Christian Ezekobe, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Oladayo Amao and the Chief of Defence Staff Major General Lucky Irabor shortly after A general Security Appraisal Committee meeting at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Abuja.

“The Federal Government is equally committed to working with the States and community leaders to strengthen peace, security and development in all parts of the country.”

As a part of preparation for the meetings on security and as a prelude to the town hall engagements, the ONSA had convened a meeting of the General Security Appraisal Committee ( GSAC) on February 11, 2021.

The meeting, which was attended by the Service Chiefs and Heads of Law Enforcement, Security and Intelligence Agencies discussed the threats of kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, armed robbery and the resultant consequences of these threats on life and property.

As part of renewed commitment to make Nigeria safe and secure, the meeting resolved to strengthen interagency coordination, stakeholders’ engagement and consultation in order to find lasting solution to the multiple security threats.

Working with the Service Chiefs and Heads of Security and Intelligence Agencies, Monguno said it was coordinating “a Whole -of -Government and Whole-of Society approach that cuts across the Legislature, Judiciary, Ministries and Departments, States and Local Governments and the Civil Society to ensure that every stakeholder plays a role in securing our towns and villages.”

The NSA said that addressing these threats called for the deployment of all national assets, including the cooperation of all Nigerians.