Social Media Remains Greatest Threat To Fight Against Insecurity in Nigeria – Gov. Masari
Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has said that the greatest threat to the fight against insecurity in the country is the wrong use and deployment of social media.
He also said that until and unless Nigerians resolve to fight insecurity collectively, it would be difficult to win the war, saying that banditry and other acts of criminality are community issues.
Governor Masari, who stated this on Monday night while speaking at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Katsina Council’s Special Lecture, Dinner and Award Presentation in Katsina, which took place at the Aminu Bello Masari Conference Hall, Hayat Regency Suit, Katsina, noted that community system of protection has broken down.
Masari stressed that without community participation, there cannot be needed peace, adding that there is the urgent need for the people to go back to the foundation of our existence.
He further said; “We are doing the best we can in terms of logistics to security agencies but unless we fight insecurity collectively, we cannot succeed.
“It is a fact that we have achieved tremendous success in the fight against insecurity. We are not there yet because we can do better. The fact is that we have made progress”.
The Katsina State Governor noted that Nigeria started experiencing banditry from Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and Cameroon, saying that while Boko Haram lay claim to have been created to institute a new social order, bandits are pure criminals.
In his words; “Anybody that is living in the forest under any guise is a criminal and all the bandits are doing is criminality and nothing more and they should be treated as such. The people in the community must rise to keep a close watch on bandits and movement of strange people within their environment and check them adequately.
“The reality is the fact that the personnel of the security agencies are inadequate thus, the need for people in the community to complement the efforts of the security agencies.
“I know of some citizens of Katsina State that are afraid of visiting Katsina because of the stories they read and are told. The reality is that insecurity in the state has reduced by more than 50 per cent, yet the story is not reported,” he said.
In his own speech, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chief Chris Isiguzo noted that thestory out there with regards to insecurity in Katsina State is different from the reality on ground, adding that his journey from Kano to Katsina by road without a single escourt showed clearly that the state is safe.
Isiguzo, whose birthday was celebrated by the Katsina State Council of the NUJ which witnessed the cutting of his anniversary cake with Governor Masari, commended the state government for its determined effort at reducing criminality particularly banditry to the barest minimum.
He commended Governor Masari for the facelift and new sports facilities constructed at the NUJ Press Centre, Katsina, saying that the development of the facilities at the Centre has place Katsina State as one of the leading Councils in the country.
The NUJ boss pleaded with Governor Masari to temper justice with mercy over the mistake made by the Abuja Council of the NUJ in a press statement in which he was erroneously alleged to have ordered the arrest of a journalist in Abuja for which the governor threatened to institute a legal action.
The NUJ Katsina Council Press week witnessed the commissioning of Sporting facilities that included a Badminton court, Table Tennis Board, Snooker, Mosque among others.
