Army officer bemoans state of insecurity in Nigeria

• Ministry urges Africa to tackle internal challenges 

THE Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Education (NASE), Sobi Barracks, Ilorin, Brig.-Gen. L. F. Abdullahi, has deplored the present state of insecurity in some parts of Nigeria.

He said insecurity remained the worst trauma that could confront man and societies, but with a caveat that if all Nigerians would collectively fight the scourge of the insurgents; the nation would soonest release itself from the grip of terror.

Abdullahi, who noted absolute confidence in the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari to chart the way forward, just as he believed that the nation’s military as an institution could never be over-powered by the insurgency, stated this yesterday in his keynote address at the Conference of the National Association of Health Educators (NAHE) held at the University of Ilorin with the theme “Health Security and Society.”

The NASE Commandant said that there could not be peace of mind when a society is confronted with insecurity, adding that the social and economic productivity in such society would dwindle. He said that the issues of health and social security in the society have assumed international dimension, adding that it has necessitated the development of trans-national and global policies for the government to tackle.

He submitted that corruption, crime and terrorism, unemployment, poor education systems and unfavourable environment, among others, are major indices that are negatively affecting the Nigerian society.

In another development, Nigeria’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bulus Lolo, has said that youths’ unemployment, illegal migration, security and the burden of external debt are some of the challenges Africa has been urged to work upon in order for it to attain true freedom, prosperity and growth.

Lolo gave this frantic suggestion while addressing members of Africa Diplomatic Group and guests at the Africa Day and Nelson Mandela International Day celebration, an event, which also marked the 52nd anniversary of the African Union (AU).

While the Dean of the Africa’s Ambassadors Group and Ambassador of Saharawi Republic, Ambassador Oubi Bachir, pledged the support of all the African ambassadors to Nigeria on the matter of fighting terrorism, Lulu called on Africa to tackle the enumerated challenges in order to further build on the achievements of Nelson Mandela for the African continent.

The Army officer said: “The society that is organised must provide security and address health issues, which include and not limited to the prevention and control of infectious diseases, mental and psychological health, among others.”

He urged Nigerians to be patient, noting that the emergence of a new democratically-elected government, wholly acceptable within the Nigerian nation and around the world, shows that there is surely light at the end of the tunnel.

Pointing out that youths’ employment would go a long way in ensuring peace and transforming the country, Abdullahi canvassed appropriate educational policies that would guide the products from both the formal and informal educational institutions in their choice of careers.

Meanwhile, in his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, said that health education professionals are critically involved in production of high-level manpower for national development.

Ambali, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Y. M. Fakunle, said that members of the Association participated effectively in bringing the Ebola crisis to an end.

The Vice Chancellor said: “Since the association started in 1991, awareness has been created among health practitioners and related professionals such as medical doctors, nurses, community health practitioners, environmentalists, psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, teachers, among others, who are still coming together to make health education a powerful instrument for the prevention of ill-health and diseases.”

He expressed the hope that the conference would deliberate on critical issues of the individuals, family and community health, security and society and at the end of the day come up with practical recommendations that could be used to bring back peace to the country.

The Vice Chancellor disclosed that the Department of Physical and Health Education in the university has over the years developed into the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education and at present into the Department of Health Promotion and Environmental Health Education.

This, he said, was in line with global best practices. Ambali added that the university administration had “supported the department in various ways, ranging from members of staff recruitment, accreditation of programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC), provision of e-library and current books in the library, Internet connectivity and introduction of Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) in Environmental Education programme which is about to take off.”

Besides, the President of NAHE, Prof. Lawanson Briggs, in his remarks said the theme of the conference was apt as the country faces security challenges.

Briggs noted that the conference would deliberate on critical issues of health and security in the society, saying that there cannot be development if the citizens are not healthy.

He then called on governments at all levels to provide security in the country. Lolo further said: “Peace and security remain a challenge in Africa.

Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria, Al-Shabab in East Africa and the presence of ISIS elements in parts of North Africa. Africa must unite and collaborate in the fight against terror and insurgency. “Our dream for sustainable African economic renaissance must go beyond the current platitude of being tagged the fastest growing economy, and include a substantial capacity for self-reliance.

We cannot truly be economically free if the potential for wealth creation and generation in Africa are left in the hands of foreigners. Our entrepreneurial class must reject the appeal for easy money and the alternative of being the market for finished products from other regions.”