A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Obidike Chukwuebuka, has expressed optimism that Nigeria is on course to becoming one of the safest countries in Africa under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Obidike said the President’s ongoing security reforms and strategic interventions demonstrate a strong commitment to tackling terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes and other forms of criminality threatening the nation’s peace and development.
According to him, the Tinubu administration is implementing far-reaching measures aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s security architecture and strengthening the capacity of security agencies to protect lives and property more effectively.
Obidike, who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Clarivo Holdings Limited, said one of the administration’s major steps is the expansion of security personnel through the recruitment of additional officers into the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force. He noted that the initiative is expected to improve security presence across the country and enhance operational effectiveness in troubled areas.
On the issue of state policing, Obidike described President Tinubu as the first Nigerian President to demonstrate genuine political will towards actualising the long-debated initiative.
He said that while successive administrations had discussed the idea of state police, Tinubu took a decisive step by transmitting the necessary legislative proposal to the National Assembly for constitutional consideration.
According to him, the move has the potential to significantly strengthen Nigeria’s fight against insecurity by bringing policing closer to the people and communities where crimes occur.
He argued that state police would improve local intelligence gathering, enhance rapid response to security threats, deepen community policing and enable security personnel to better understand the language, culture, terrain and peculiar security challenges of their respective areas.
Obidike further said state policing would reduce the burden on the federal police, allowing the national force to concentrate on terrorism, border security, organised crime and other national security concerns. He added that decentralising policing would improve accountability and make security operations more effective across the federation.
The APC chieftain also commended the President’s commitment to modernising the military through the acquisition of advanced security equipment, including armoured vehicles and other operational assets required to confront criminal elements.
He added that the administration has intensified collaboration among the military, police, intelligence agencies and other security organisations to ensure coordinated operations and quicker responses to security threats.
Speaking on the recurring conflicts between farmers and herders, Obidike welcomed the President’s support for ranching as a sustainable alternative to open grazing, describing it as a practical solution capable of reducing violent clashes and improving agricultural productivity.
He expressed confidence that the foundations being laid by the Tinubu administration would not only address existing security challenges but also position Nigeria as one of the safest and most stable countries on the African continent in the coming years.
