Insecurity: Nigeria will defeat evil forces contesting for its soul, says Osinbajo

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says the Buhari administration is determined to resist and defeat “the evil forces contesting the soul of the country”.

According to a statement by Laolu Akande, his spokesperson, Osinbajo spoke at the 8th Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation Memorial Lecture on leadership and good governance on Tuesday, in Kano.

The lecture was titled “Reviving the Northern Traditional Institutions: Imperative for Peace and Security in Northern Nigeria”.

The vice-president said traditional institutions are integral to Nigeria’s programme of community policing and can deliver valuable intelligence to state authorities.

He said without a tough, collaborative resistance, “neither the glorious legacies of the past nor the future our children will inherit, are immune to the unchecked onslaught”.

“The President on numerous occasions reiterated the view that our peace and security architecture must recognize that traditional institutions are our first line of defence against the forces of anarchy,” Osinbajo was quoted as saying.

“The Federal Government has remained resolute in the fight against terrorists and insurgents. Recent efforts have focused on deploying technology for surveillance, intelligence gathering and attack.

“It is a fight we are determined to win. And we know that by the grace of God, all of these evil forces will be completely exterminated.

“We will also continue to encourage collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Justice, their State counterparts, and law enforcement, to ensure that those who have been apprehended for terrorism and violent crimes are effectively prosecuted.”

Osinbajo said traditional leaders act as bridge-builders in communities in order to effectively tackle security challenges and promote peace and unity.

He asked political and traditional leaders to shun divisive politics and sentiments in order to build a strong and stable society.

“In today’s world, the continued existence of these traditional institutions and communal sensibilities, side by side with the machinery of our modern democracy, gives us an advantage that we must invoke,” he said.

“Our traditional institutions possess emotional channels that penetrate far deeper than the most sophisticated surveillance equipment can. They hear what the government does not hear, they see what the government does not see. They understand the language of the people’s frustrations and can provide valuable intelligence that de-escalates potential conflagrations before they have a chance to spark.

“There is an entire world out there calling to the potential of the young men and women not just of the North, but the whole of Nigeria. We owe it to them to see that they have ample opportunity to take their place in it.

“We cannot afford to allow political expediencies taint the sanctity of our traditional institutions. Reviving traditional institutions also requires that we build and rebuild the connecting tissues of trust between political leaders, traditional institutions, and the people.”