Former Kano State Governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has called on the Federal Government to integrate state-backed security outfits into the nation’s security architecture to bolster the military’s ranks and tackle rising insecurity.
Kwankwaso made the call on Tuesday during the inauguration of 2,000 members of the Kano State Neighbourhood Watch Corps.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) argued that Nigeria requires at least one million military personnel to effectively confront security challenges across the country, stressing that a lack of political will exists at the federal level.
“What we are lacking is the political will from our leaders, especially the Commander-in-Chief himself,” Kwankwaso said. “He should ensure our troops are trained and retrained, fully kitted and equipped with arms and ammunition.”
He added that security groups across both the northern and southern parts of the country should be integrated into the military to stem what he described as “the madness happening in this country.”
“I advise the Federal Government to do whatever it takes to absorb these corps in states like Sokoto, Katsina, Kano and Zamfara. This will increase the security forces in this country,” Kwankwaso emphasised.
“We need not less than one million military men and women in this country,” he said. “The Federal Government should apologise to Nigerians because it is their primary responsibility to ensure the safety of citizens.”
The former governor also weighed in on the ongoing security deployment around the Nassarawa Palace, advising the Kano State Commissioner of Police to withdraw officers guarding embattled Emir Aminu Bayero.
“I advise the Commissioner of Police in Kano State to withdraw all police officers guarding the Nassarawa cemetery and redeploy them to protect the people of Kano,” Kwankwaso stated.
Meanwhile, the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, charged the newly inaugurated Neighbourhood Watch Corps to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies, particularly in border communities facing security threats.
“Our conventional security forces need partners who understand the terrain to support their efforts, and this is where the neighbourhood watch comes in,” Yusuf said. “No single agency can secure Kano alone. As a government, we are strengthening inter-agency collaboration to face this challenge.”
The governor cautioned the corps against duplicating the roles of established security agencies, stressing the importance of seamless cooperation.
“Your success will depend on how well you work with conventional agencies to supplement, not duplicate, their efforts,” he said, adding that security threats do not respect boundaries.
Yusuf also disclosed that the state government was engaging neighbouring states to address cross-border criminal activities. “We are in talks with sister states to address these cross-border threats and ensure criminals find no safe haven or corridor of escape. We will respond collectively to emerging security challenges,” he said.
