The Chairman Senate Committee on Army Senator Col (rtd) Abdul’aziz Musa Yar’adua has called on the Nigeria Police leadership to create a robust command that will deal with internal security.
Yar’adua said the duty of curbing internal security is a primary role of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies but not Armed Forces.
The Senator who is representing Katsina Central Senatorial District registered his concern over the involvement of soldiers in curbing kidnapping and banditry which he said primarily is not its assignment.
Speaking to newsmen in Katsina, the Senator pointed out that from 2011 to date, the army has been involved in internal security situations which is not the primary mandate of the Nigerian army
According to him, the primary role of Armed Forces is to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria while internal security remains its secondary role.
Senator Yar’adua said the truth that needs to be known is that pursuing Kidnappers and armed robbers is the essential training given to police but not Armed forces, adding that as an ex-military officer, he had never been trained to pursue Kidnappers and armed robbers.
He however pointed out that the challenges of kidnapping and banditry bedeviling the nation today are police duties to address, but not armed forces
“You can see that the armed forces have been on the issue of internal security for over 13 years today, and this undermines the capacity of the police in policing the nation.”
Senator Yar’adua therefore charged the Inspector General of Police to rebrand the Nigeria Police by bringing back Nigeria Mobile Police Force into limelight and create Special Force meant for rescuing kidnapped victims.
