Peace Corps boss advises FG, says funding of security agencies won't end insurgency

macfranc007 April 02, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Jerrywright Ukwu

- Excessive spending of existing security agencies won't end insurgency in Nigeria

- This is the stance of the National Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dickson Akoh

- Akoh made the statement while delivering a paper titled 'Youth Unemployment and National Security'

The National Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dickson Akoh, has advised the federal government against excessive spending on already existing security agencies.

Speaking at the launch of a magazine in Abuja recently, Akoh urged the federal government to embrace more "human-centric" view to security.

Continuous funding of existing security agencies won't end insurgencies - Peace Corps boss

Akoh says the continuous funding of existing security agencies won't end insurgency in the country. Photo credit: PCN

The Peace Corps boss, who was represented by the Deputy National Commandant on Administration, Edet Ekpeyong, said it would be almost impossible to solve Nigeria's security challenges given the country's increasing population.

Presenting a paper titled 'Youth Unemployment and National Security,' Akoh lamented the rate of unemployment in Nigeria, which he opined, was responsible for insecurity and other social vices in the country.

“Youth unemployment is a global trend but occurs mostly in developing countries of the world with attendant social, economic, political and psychological consequences,” Akoh said.

He continued: “Massive youth unemployment in any country is an indication of far more complex problems and an opportunity for youth to be actively engaged by politicians, warlords, criminal gangs, illegal migration syndicates thus making such youth readily available for antisocial criminal activities that undermine the security of the society.

“For too long, the Nigerian government had restricted security matters to its security agencies and has carried on as if continued spending on these institutions could guarantee security of life and property. Sadly, that kind of thinking is now anachronistic and has been replaced with more human-centric view of security.

“In the last two decades especially, most of the conflicts that have bedeviled states are not external in nature. They were mainly internal dynamics that could not be totally overcomes by high military build-up.”

He also used the opportunity to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to rescind his decision and reconsider the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) bill, which according to him would provide vast opportunities for youths to be productively engaged.

Similarly, the council of commandants and Board of Trustees of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) have called on President Buhari to reevaluate and reconsider his decision to withhold his assent to the Peace Corps bill.

They made the call at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, March 2, arguing that there was no security agency in Nigeria that was currently undertaking the functions ascribe to Peace Corps in the said bill.

They further argued that the bill does not conflict with that of the functions of any existing security agency in the country.

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