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IGP opens Gombe security, peace summit

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From WILLIE ATTAH, Gombe

THE Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, has opened the first ever Gombe State Peace and Security Summit with the launch of 28 operational vehicles for the newly formed ‘Operation Hattara’ Task Force.

The three-day Peace and Security Summit is an initiative of the Gombe State government with the aim of providing an opportunity for a carefully selected cohort of experts, security personnel, government officials and other strategic stakeholders and community leaders to brainstorm on security issues.

They are also expected to aggregate and explore pressing internal security issues with a view to identifying new security and community pathways of mitigating them for lasting peace and stability according to Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya.

The Summit had as theme; Mitigating Contemporary Security Challenges for sustainable Socioeconomic Development which Governor Inuwa expressed conviction that the participants in the summit will be able to chart a new direction for mitigating internal security not only in Gombe State but in the country as a whole.

This, according to him, was because of the calibre of resource persons invited, the security personnel and strategic stakeholders participating in the summit.

Inuwa explained that “although the present security situation in the country is generally precarious, Gombe State is relatively secure and peaceful”.

He stressed further that, ” for instance, if we take a look at the Nigeria Security Tracker published monthly by Eons Intelligence (A reputable Risk and Security Consulting Organisation), Gombe State has recorded the least incidences of killings, kidnapping and other violent crimes during the first quarter of this year (2022) – thanks to the combined efforts of our security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.

“However, it is imperative to note that Gombe State is not immuned and insulated from happenings in other parts of the country. We have our own share of local security threats fuelled by political thuggery, youth restlessness and unemployment which led to the emergence of the notorious Kalare group.

“The proliferation of local militia groups therefore calls for a proactive approach in dealing with these emerging threats and applying local strategies for tackling them”, he said.

He stated further that through proactive measures, his administration was able to contain the menace of political thuggery and youth restlessness to the barest minimum.

He said this was as a result of the combined efforts of the political class, security agencies, community, religious and traditional institutions. Thus, preventing it from metamorphosing into another criminal group.

In his address before launching the secury operational vehicles named “Operation Hattara”, the Police IG, Usman Baba Alkali, said the Gombe State Security and Peace summit was coming at a crucial time when the Nigeria Police Force was working towards deepening the engagement of the concept of community partnership, technology-driven policing, and intelligence-based model in mitigating the current internal security challenges in the country.

He said, “This policing strategy seeks to address security challenges through an active citizen’s engagement in  identification, analysis, and mitigation of threats. And to actualize it, the communities and strategic stakeholders have critical roles to play”.

While appreciating the Governor for convening the Summit, the IGP said, at the end of the three-day summit, it is expected that all issues of security importance will be extensively discussed and effective strategies to address them identified.

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