The Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, retd, has said that organized crime is frustrating the stability of Nigeria.
Buratai made this disclosure while addressing the audience at a one-day international conference in Abuja Tuesday, with the theme, ‘Organized Crime Network as Emergent Threats to National Security’, calling for a comprehensive and collaborative approach to fight the growing menace of organized crime in the country.
Buratai cited the crucial role of law enforcement agencies, government bodies, and the public in safeguarding the nation’s future during the program that was organized by Igbinedion University, Okada, in conjunction with the Buratai Centre for Contemporary Security Affairs.
He gave an insight into Nigeria’s situation, noting that the country had a criminality score of 7.15 out of 10, ranking it second out of 54 countries in Africa and first out of 15 countries in West Africa.
“Nigeria is standing at a critical juncture, ranked 5th out of 193 countries on the Global Organized Crime, GOC, Index. The alarming reality of these crimes, from illicit oil theft to calculated displacement of communities for mining, cannot be swept under the rug.
“These multifaceted crimes not only undermine the stability and well-being of affected regions but also perpetuate a cycle of violence and exploitation,” he said.
Lamenting the strain these criminal enterprises put on the economy, stunting its growth and development, the former COAS explained the need for governments, international organizations, and law enforcement agencies to collaborate to address these issues comprehensively.
According to him, this could be achieved by implementing stringent measures, conducting thorough investigations, and promoting sustainable development initiatives.
Buratai said, “As the Index results show, the countries with the highest criminality levels are those experiencing conflict or fragility.
”We must learn from this and enhance our socio-economic development, border control measures, counter-terrorism efforts, and law enforcement capabilities.”
Speaking, the Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Professor Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, stated how insecurity had spread across modern global societies, with Africa, and specifically Nigeria, bearing a significant brunt of it.
Ezemonye said, “The scale of insecurity in Nigeria is heightened by the growing convergence and proliferation of organized criminal activities, banditry, terrorism, human and drug trafficking, kidnapping, among others. These have put serious strains on our nation’s security architecture.”
Ezemonye, however, expressed hope in addressing these challenges by convening a meeting of security analysts and personnel to deliberate on the issues.
“In the pursuit of this vision and mission, we shall strive for excellence through acquaintance with best practices and collaboration with world-class relevant institutions and agencies,” he emphasized.
