A member of the Benue State House of Assembly, Isaac Agbo, has blamed the growing insecurity in Nigeria on the lack of financial autonomy for local governments.
Speaking at a security summit in Makurdi on Saturday, themed “Synopsis of Security Section Accountability to Citizens,” Agbo, who represents Ohimini State Constituency and chairs the Committee on Rural Development, criticised state governors for withholding funds meant for local governments, thus weakening their ability to tackle security threats.
“These governors get a lot of money, which does not trickle down to the local government areas. Governors are the problem. Let us tell ourselves the truth,” Agbo said. The event was funded by the Open Society Foundation and held at the Deputy Governor’s office.
Agbo also called on the military to step up efforts in protecting communities, urging them to treat the security situation with the seriousness of a conventional war.
The summit featured several contributions, including one from Lazarus Mom, a consultant with the NGO Lawyers Alert, who emphasised the role of community policing in addressing insecurity. Mom cited successful examples in Guma and Katsina-Ala local government areas where community policing committees are already making a positive impact. He stressed the need for greater trust and collaboration between security agencies and local communities.
“There must be trust between the police and the community. Most communities do not communicate information to security actors. There is a need for partnership and trust,” Mom stated.
Chief Joseph Har, Special Adviser on Internal Security to Governor Hyacinth Alia, also highlighted the need to raise awareness among police officers regarding their duties, especially in a security-challenged environment.
Adding to the discussion, Terwase Uche, representative of Guma 1 Constituency, criticised the inefficiency in information gathering by security agencies and lamented local complicity in worsening insecurity. He condemned the poor management of security votes by state governors, expressing dissatisfaction that despite billions allocated for security, resources are not properly deployed.
“We are not seeing the Hilux and motorbikes that the governor launched. Local government chairmen do not even have vehicles to function. This is a huge joke and caricature of governance,” Uche said.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s office, Mrs. Felicia Alugo, urged Benue citizens to remain vigilant and committed to peace, assuring that Governor Alia is determined to improve security and needs the citizens’ support to succeed.
ADEOLA KUNLE
