Nigeria Needs Governance Reform, Not Bullets For Poverty, Insecurity – Egbetokun

The immediate past inspector- general of police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has called on the federal and state governments to address governance and socio-economic challenges rocking the country.

He declared that policing poverty with bullets was not the right strategy.

In his keynote at the 20th International Conference and General Assembly of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP) held at the Lead City University, Ibadan, themed: “Security Governance and Global Dynamics”, he said “there is no military solution to a governance problem”.

The former police boss called for a strategic redefinition of Nigeria’s security strategy, which he said must “be redefined around the daily security of the Nigerian: food security, job security, health security, school security. A hungry, unemployed youth is a recruitment base for any extremist ideology. Policing poverty with bullets is a losing strategy.

“For a family, security means having food. It means being able to live without fear. It means access to healthcare. It means employment and economic opportunity. It means protection from violence. It means knowing that institutions will treat citizens fairly.”

According to him, “perhaps the greatest challenge we (Nigeria) face(s) is not the absence of knowledge.
“We know many of the risks. The problem is the governance gap between the emergence of threats and our ability to respond collectively”, he said

He emphasised that a global security system that protects borders while ignoring poverty, displacement, climate vulnerability and social exclusion will remain fundamentally incomplete.

“We must reform the governance of security, not just the equipment of security. I led the Nigeria Police Force. I know the dedication of our officers. But I also know the structural deficits.

“We need to unbundle policing. A single federal police structure for 230 million people is ungovernable.

“We need a constitutionally defined multi-level policing system — federal, state, and community — with clear rules of engagement, funding, and accountability.

“We must, however, approach devolution of policing powers to the states and local communities with caution. Security governance means clarity of roles.”

In his speech, the President of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP), Professor Benjamin Aluko, stated that, “the international system is experiencing unprecedented levels of uncertainty, protracted violent conflicts, ethno-religious tensions, extremism in its diverse dimensions, state fragility, and rapidly declining capacity of critical state and international institutions have become defining features of human existence.

“Consequently, in virtually all the nations of the world, questions of security governance have become central to debates and efforts at promoting peace, justice, human rights, development and social order in the Global community”.

While declaring the conference open, the Vice Chancellor, Lead City University and host of the conference, Professor Kabiru Adeyemo, noted that “Security is not merely the protection of territorial borders.

“Security is about people. It is about access to justice. It is about trust in institutions. It is about economic opportunities. It is about social inclusion. It is about ensuring that citizens can pursue their aspirations without fear.”

The Vice Chancellor, who noted that “where governance is weak, insecurity thrives. Where justice is absent, conflict grows. Where citizens lose confidence in institutions, instability becomes inevitable.

“Conversely, where governance is accountable, inclusive and responsive, peace flourishes. The challenges confronting Nigeria and Africa, therefore, demand a broader understanding of security, one that integrates governance, development, human rights, social cohesion and environmental sustainability.

He added that, “Lead City University has consistently demonstrated its commitment to the promotion of peace education, good governance and national development. We believe that universities must serve as centres not only of learning but also of social transformation.

“Our responsibility extends beyond producing graduates; we must also produce problem-solvers, peace builders and ethical leaders capable of navigating the complexities of an increasingly interconnected world”.