...want more security presence in the region
By Deborah Hassan
Political and traditional leaders in the Southwest of the country have called for the full implementation of the 2015 Cybercrime Act in order to check fake and false news.
They also called for an upgrade of the security architecture of the country to adequately address the threats and realities of insecurity in the country.
These were contained in a 13-point communique issued by Southwest Governors and traditional rulers at a peace dialogue at Government House, Lagos State on Sunday.
The communique, signed on behalf of the participants by Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, reads, “A comprehensive programme that addresses youth employment and empowerment should be prioritised. Closer coordination and complementarity between the States and the Federal Government. Curricular of tertiary institutions should be reviewed, with emphasis placed on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
“We recognise the damaging and negative impact of fake and false news, and we worry about its destructive and dangerous potency. We call on Federal Government to use the instrumentality of existing laws and regulations bench-marked from other countries to provide safeguards against the spread of fake news. The 2015 Cyber Act must also be fully used.”
“Leaders of Southwest demanded a review of reports of past constitutional conferences, including the 2014 National Conference and implement some of the recommendations, especially with reference to security, economy, equal treatment for citizens all over the country.”
Earlier, Akeredolu, who is also the chairman of South West Governors’ Forum had disclosed that the coordinated violence sparked by the #EndSARS protest shook the Southwest to its foundation, given the unrestrained manner with which public assets and infrastructure that had sustained the region’s economy were destroyed by hoodlums.
He said the style of the attacks, especially in Lagos, was worrisome, stressing that the peace in the region remained fragile in the aftermath of the violence.
The dialogue was organised with the aim of finding a common front with traditional institutions in addressing the issues that led to the recent nationwide youth demonstration, which ended in violence that shook the region to its foundation.
Akeredolu said there is need to fully restore peace in the Southwest and address the issues that “made youths to be used by those who orchestrated the destruction.”
He said, “Before our very eyes, what started as a peaceful demonstration turned to different thing that became a threat to all of us, who are regarded as elite. What we witnessed in the violence showed that something needs to be done to address the underlying issues and come out with solutions. We must be able to sustain the peace in our region at all cost.”
President Buhari, who was represented by his chief of staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, said the vigorous manner of the #EndSARS protest indicated the frustration of the youth, who he said had been ignored for a long time in governance.
He said the political class must go beyond the lip service and equip the young people with skills that would make them competitive in market.
The president reiterated his commitment to addressing the root causes of the protest, pointing out the reforms which the youths clamoured for would be done and cases of abuses would be pursued to logical conclusion.
“Our government’s effort are emerging from multiple level. The vice president and governors are designing an engagement framework through the National Economic Council that will be rolled out across States of the federation. Chief among them is police reform across all its dimensions. Community policing as an additional layer that can resolve some of our security issues,” he stated.
In his remarks, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the engagement could not have come at a better than the present period when the region had just come out from disturbing events.
He expressed belief that the dialogue would open a new chapter of peace and prosperity in the Southwest.
All serving members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) from the region and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Muhammed Adamu, were present at the event alongside the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who applauded the initiative, as the “right step”.
He, however, upbraided the political class for lack of consultation with traditional institutions in decision making, while noting that the dialogue would bridge the gap of communication between political leaders and traditional rulers.
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi and the Oba of Lagos also made contributions at the dialogue.