Buhari Tasks African Parliaments On Security Threats

President Muhammadu Buhari has charged the Network of African Parliamentarians to come together and collaborate with the civil society organisations in finding lasting solution to the violent threats currently challenging the cooperate existence of their various nations across the continent.
The President gave the charge, yesterday at the 5th conference of Network of African Parliamentarians Members of Defense and Security Committees (REPAM-CDS) held in Abuja with the theme: “Defense and Security Cooperation Between Europe and Africa: New Mechanisms, Appropriation and Discussions”.
Buhari said it was utmost important that African governments engage in partnerships with civil societies, to finding a lasting solution to the incessant attacks currently ravaging the continent, especially now that non-state-actors are violently challenging the fundamental legitimacy of our countries.
The president, who was represented at the occasion by the Vice President, Prof. YemiOsinabo, said the major challenge before the parliamentarians is to develop measures through policies and legislations that create an umbrella of security of our people capable of preventing the forces of destabilization from weaponising the frustration of the marginalised.
According to him, “the approach of partnering with the civil societies must necessarily encompass not just all government but all of society.’’
The summit is a strategic platform that brings together law makers as well as representatives of African Union, ECOWAS and European Union to exchange ideas, share experiences and deliberate on common approaches to addressing threat to our collective security.
The president said the timing of the summit could not be more appropriate than now, the challenging phase in the Africa’s development when governments across the continent are dealing multiple threats, ranging from terrorism to piracy to trans-national organised crime and insurrectionary challenges to the very legitimate of our nations.
‘’Here in Nigeria, we are currently grappling with our share of these challenges as posed by terrorism and insurgency.
“As part of our efforts in responding, we have prioritised our commitment to the constitutional imperative of guaranteeing the security and welfare of the people.
“We have embarked on ambitions programme of reforming critical law enforcement institutions, while sustaining consistently increased investment in addition to security sectors.
‘”However, we recognise that the threats we face in this borderless age are often local and transactional.
“We recognise that insurrection one conflict in country can spread like infection across borders to destabilise neighbours and create even greater threats that may jeopardise regional security and stability.
’’This is why multi-dimensional partnerships such as we have here today are crucial to guarantee stability and prosperity of our nations and our continent.