Jonathan made the promise in Abuja on Tuesday while declaring open a two-day National Summit on Security Challenges in Nigeria, jointly sponsored by the Nigeria Police and Vanguard Newspapers. Represented by retired Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade, the Minister of Police Affairs, Jonathan said that the time had come to rise and address the challenge.
He said it was in realisation of this that a Presidential Committee to Re-organise the police was recently set up having observed some deficiencies in the capacity and professionalism of the force.
``A lot of emphasis is being placed on training and retraining, improving the sophistication of weaponry and equipment, improved welfare of officers and men and the image of the police.
``I am optimistic that the political will being demonstrated by this administration will yield the desired result in the fight against terrorism, improve crime investigation and enhance public order policing.
``This will guarantee the ultimate protection of lives and property and law enforcement in our society,’’ he said.
The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Gambo Jimeta, a former Inspector General of Police, described the security situation in the country as ``self-inflicted’’.
Jimeta blamed it on successive administrations, which he said, neglected the security agencies, the ``organ of stability’’, in terms of funding.
``Our current situation is really self-inflicted, you cannot have a state and failed to provide for the institutions of the state that are supposed to support the well being of the state and the citizens.
``Whenever you see a country running into security problem, it is when it starts to neglect this all important foundation for the well being of the nation.
``There is nowhere in Nigeria today where you can sleep with your eyes closed. Let’s put our priorities right, build a robust defence and internal security system,’’ Jimeta said.
He decried a situation where criminal gangs were more armed and government officials protect themselves, leaving the citizenry at the mercy of God.
``Things are not all right, things are going wrong. The people are frustrated,’’ adding that if the situation was not addressed, the people might be forced to react negatively.
Jimeta said there was a disconnect between the government and the people and blamed the Boko Haram insurgency and other challenges facing the nation on bad governance.
He stressed that no religion encouraged violence and killings and called on relevant government agencies to arrest and bring to book all those perpetrating criminal acts.
The former police boss warned those aspiring to lead the country to desist from ``irresponsible’’ utterances capable of causing crises. He commended the police and other security agents for paying the supreme price in the effort to arrest the current situation.
The Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, noted that security was fundamental to existence of any society. Abubakar, however, said that as a nation grows in terms of development, the nature of the threats it faced become sophisticated.
``Security is undoubtedly the foundation on which any society’s socio-economic and political development are built.
``Insecurity, therefore, is a venomous threat to the well being of the citizens of any nation and a canker worm that destroys the roots that hold the existence of any nation,’’ Abubakar said.
According to him, the security situation in Nigeria in recent times has been a source of great concern to all patriotic citizens and to the international friends of Nigeria.
Mr Gbenga Adefaye, the Editor-In-Chief of Vanguard Newspapers, said the organisation had the social responsibility to help in finding solution to the security challenges. Adefaye appealed to authorities concerned to take seriously the recommendations that would come out of the summit.
The theme of the summit is ``Addressing Nigeria’s Security Challenges for Sustainable Peace and Development’’.
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