BY AYO ESAN
GOVERNOR Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has urged the people of the state not to allow fifth columnists to undermine the security of the state.
Sanwo-Olu said this while setting the tone for discussion at the Stakeholders’ Engagement on Internal Security and Conflict Resolution in Lagos State.
The discussion, organised on Tuesday by the Ministry of Interior, was aimed at strengthening peace and security in the aftermath of the destruction that trailed the #EndSARS protests.
Sanwo-Olu saluted the Federal Government for its commitment to restoring peace in troubled states.
The Governor described the initiative as “a deliberate effort” to address causes of the crisis and nip violence in the bud.
He said the coordinated arson that trailed the #EndSARS protests was a wake-up call to all citizens of the country and security organisations to be vigilant and collectively move against actions that could undermine the wellbeing and security of Nigeria.
The Governor pleaded with the citizens to allow the seed of peace being sown to germinate, while also stressing the need to re-establish communication link between the Government and the people in order to thwart tendencies of those he dubbed fifth columnists and conspiracy theorists bent on employing disinformation and misinformation to destabilise the state.
He said, “The level of insecurity being experienced across the nation calls for serious concern, considering its implication not only on the socio-economic development and prosperity of our people but also on the unity and territorial integrity of our nation. The importance of an effective strategy for peaceful resolution of conflict cannot be overemphasised.
“We have the opportunity today to share knowledge and ideas that could pre-empt crisis situations through conflict resolution mechanism. That incident through which extensive damage was wreaked on public infrastructure and private businesses, is a wakeup call to all well meaning individuals and organisations that we cannot afford to allow external forces or factors threaten or undermine our wellbeing and security.
“We have to reignite the communication link between government and the people so that fifth columnists or conspiracy theorists will not be able to infiltrate and spread disinformation and misinformation that would jeopardise the future of our country or the opportunities available for our youths to contribute to the greatness of our country.”
Also speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said the forum was the third stakeholders’ engagement which the Ministry of Interior initiated to strengthen peace across the country.
The Minister said the Federal Government particularly had a responsibility to deepen peace and reduce conflicts in Lagos, which he described as the cradle of the black race.
The Government’s interest in security, Aregbesola pointed out, was selfish, adding that no development would be achieved in a situation of insecurity.
He said, “The main purpose of the ongoing drive is to create an atmosphere of peace for our development. We may not have attained the most secured state at the moment; we must not take what we have for granted.
“The nature of insecurity we are witnessing today is not peculiar to Nigeria. The world is increasingly facing insecurity whose main causes are armed conflicts, terrorism, banditry, organised crimes, food shortages, natural disasters and epidemics among others.
“We have a responsibility to deepen peace and reduce conflicts that are peculiar to our nation. This will enable us to bring down the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) shelters dotting our land.”
Aregbesola also said it was time for the nation to fully harness the physical and intellectual energy of young people.
