Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Beacon Consulting, Dr. Kabir Adamu, has said that his research reveals that no fewer than 5,000 Nigerians were killed between January and June this year.
Speaking as a panellist during a live television event organized in Abuja by Daria Media Limited, sponsored by MacArthur Foundation and facilitated by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, Adamu frowned at the situation whereby communities, particularly in the northern part of the country, are compelled by non-state actors, individuals or organisations that have significant influence but are not allied to any particular country or state, to pay levies before carrying out their farming activities, stressing that we cannot continue that way.
He called for improvement that would show Nigerians that we are making progress because, according to him, paying levies to non-state actors is an indication of the failure of the security apparatus to protect the people.
In his contribution to the discussion, a former Director of Army Public Relations, Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Sani Usman, rtd, attributed the failure of the nation's security apparatus to the non - empowerment of ordinary Nigerians to contribute their quota to the fight against insecurity.
His words: "To what extent have you empowered an average Nigerian to have a sense of belonging to understand that they are equal partners in dealing with the security challenges in the country?.
The general recalled his earlier observation that there are three major causes of Nigeria's security challenges: Political atmosphere, economic atmosphere, and the social well-being of the Nigerian society, stressing that the three factors are complementary.
Earlier in his opening speech, Director, of MacArthur Foundation in Africa, Kole Shetima, disclosed the body's commitment towards ensuring accountability in the country, explaining that they have the mandate to support the government, civil society groups, and institutions in Nigeria.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
In her statement, the Chief Executive Officer, of Daria Media Limited, Kadaria Ahmed, said the event aimed at enabling engagement between the government, citizens, civil society, the diplomatic corps, and local and international media. Ahmed described the gathering as a credible platform for the government to give an account of what it has done in the areas of economy, security, and governance, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the past year.
