The Director-General, State Security Service, SSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi, says there is need to allow some communities to acquire some level of armament to serve as their first line of defense amidst delay in security response to communities. Mr Ajayi made this call at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies, AANISS, on Thursday in Abuja.
According to him, Nigeria should start experimenting how it can make the community be the first line of its own defense, citing an incident in Azare in Bauchi State where the community stood against the Boko Haram terrorists and defeated them hands down when they were attacked.
The secret police boss said practical approach to mobilizing people is that you have to get everyone involved and people should take ownership of their communities.
“You do not expect the Nigerian army, police, DSS, to protect every Nigerian. It is not going to work, he said.
“How can you create the first line of defense? The military, police, and other security agencies have to deal with the bigger ones, like organized crime.
“It is unimaginable that any security agencies have the resources to deploy to every community.
“What we have to start experimenting with is how we can make the community be a fist in the first line of defense.
“We have to allow some level of armament for the communities and they can serve as the first line of defense,” he charged.
Ajayi enjoined the stakeholders at the event to ensure that the discussions did not just end as mere rhetoric talk shows, emphasizing that deliberate attempt should be taken to tackle the menace of insecurity in the country.
Meanwhile, he commended the Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa for championing enhanced collaboration between the military and other security agencies in the country. (NAN)