AREGBESOLA: BOOSTING INTERNAL SECURITY AND NEW SECURITY ARCHITECTURE

The appointment of Rauf Aregbesola as minister for interior by President Buhari has further justified Mr President’s confidence and his investments in boosting internal security as governor of Osun State when he bought helicopter for surveillance. The police was very grateful in 2014 for his effort at lifting their spirit by providing the Armoured Personnel Carriers; this was the first in the history of Nigeria when a government will be providing such numbers of equipment for the police in one fell swoop. The presentation of the APC was the climax of his practical demonstration and support for security in the state and the police effort to fight crime received a huge boost. The government of Osun on fulfilled its promise to further equip the state police command with additional 25 sophisticated Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs).

Rauf Aregbesola as Minister for Interior is set to tackle internal conflicts that have also strained the capacity of Nigeria’s security forces: the Nigerian Army, for example has be deployed in 32 of the 36 states in the country as at June 2019, battling terrorism, cattle rustling, kidnapping, communal clashes and other forms of insecurity. Rauf Aregbesola as former governor of Osun State provided security for lives and properties with provision of 25 Armoured Personnel Carrier, over 100 security patrol vehicles and one helicopter for surveillance, state of the art police stations built. To enhance security of lives and properties, the State Government provided about 125 patrol vehicles to security agencies such as the Army, Police, FRSC, NDLEA and the Civil Defence. Armoured personnel carriers, the first in the history of the state were provided to fight incessant robbery attacks. It is also noteworthy that the state acquired one helicopter for area surveillance and ‘’quick emergency response’’ in the state. Since this noble initiative, crime, especially bank robberies were reduced significantly to the barest minimum in Osun.
The helicopter, a French Five-Plus-One passenger Eurocopter AS-355N, is a 2006 Model with twin engines. The latest security acquisition was to compliments the state’s earlier investments on adequate protection of lives and properties of the citizenry through the procurement of several Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), communication gadgets and Police Patrol Van. The helicopter was to ensure aerial surveillance. The helicopter was also to provide emergency services for the “Osun Emergency Management Agency And O-Ambulance” for medical emergencies and other forms of evacuation.

Rauf Aregbesola as Minister for Interior will monitor Niger Republic and Nigeria border and he is prepared to dig trenches or moats on this border to restrict movement of jihadists and bandits. Rauf Aregbesola as Minister for Interior is bringing new Security architecture which is a unified security design that addresses the necessities and potential risks involved in a certain scenario or environment. It also specifies when and where to apply security controls. The design process is generally reproducible to deal with bandits and jihadists from Niger Republic, Mali and Chad.
Rauf Aregbesola as Minister for Interior is introducing new security architecture which is technologically driven and capable of dealing with jihadists and bandits from Niger Republic. Rauf Aregbesola as Minister for Interior is introducing new security architecture that will regulate the movement of people and goods across Nigeria-Niger Republic border on daily basis. Rauf Aregbesola as Minister for Interior will fish out jihadists and bandits flash points in the Nigeria-Niger Republic border which he will place under constant surveillance and adopt digital security measures.

Rauf Aregbesola as Minister for Interior is currently reviewing military operations in about 32 States. This is against the backdrop of severe strength deficit in the North-East. Presently on the ground, our Force Generation effort in meeting this huge manpower deficit does not reflect the required urgency. Out of the box thinking in addressing the issue is required. Aregbesola will consider recalling the able-bodied ones on our reserve list. With mouth-watering incentives, he could mop-up a reasonable strength, avail them with training and get them to commit to a brief 3-5 years contract. This is a short term approach to the problem. In the long run, he could expand on our facilities on the ground to accommodate a large number of recruits

Aregbesola will dig trenches to controls kilometers along the Niger Republic border,he will dig extensive trenches – a task taking months to complete, but completely ignored by the Nigeria army since 2009. Aregbesola wants to boost internal security and he is prepared to Build Walls, and Trenches to protect Nigeria’s border.
Nigeria’s far north states, on the border with Niger Republic, is facing a rise in suicide bombings blamed on Boko Haram extremists, , jihadists, bandits and foreign kidnappers. To deal with the spate of attacks, , jihadists, bandits and foreign kidnappers,
Aregbesola will dig a major defence mechanism: a trench that will stretch for some 10,000 kilometres along the border. The aim is simple: to keep the extremists out.
Aregbesola will build anti-terror trench to keep out Boko Haram suicide bombers, jihadists, bandits and foreign kidnappers.
Aregbesola will be credited for the construction of a trench along the country’s border with Nigeria with significantly improving the security situation in the country’s Far North region. Designed to prevent armed militants, especially ones from the Nigerian group known as Boko Haram, from infiltrating into Cameroon, the trench is more than 4 m wide and 3 m deep. It has been dug by a new BIR engineering unit that has been equipped with excavators, which is also tasked with repairing damage caused during the rainy season.
The trench will be patrolled by armed forces, troops from the Nigerian army battalions serving under the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), and members of the Civilian Vigilance Committees. He will deploy single Cessna 208 surveillance aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to carry out surveillance flights to monitor the trench and locate any attempts at crossing it.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior is a part of the Federal Ministries of Nigeria tasked with providing complementary internal security and other ancillary services within Nigeria. The concern to maintain internal security gave rise to the creation of Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1957. In 2007, the Ministry of Internal Affairs merged with the Ministry of Police Affairs, resulting in the Ministry of the Interior.
The current Minister of the Interior is Engr.Rauf Aregbesola

The Ministry formulates and implements policies related to border management and supervises the National Immigration Service.
Its other functions include:
• Granting of Nigerian citizenship
• Consular and immigration services
• Granting of business permits and expatriate quotas
• Co-ordination of national and independence day celebrations
• Reformation and re-integration of inmates
• Security of lives and properties
• Management of National emergencies;
• Recruitment of officers and men of the Prisons Service, Immigration Service, Fire Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
• Managing the retirement benefits of retirees of paramilitary Services under its supervision

Aregbesola is resolute in keeping peace within the borders of Nigeria generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats. Aregbesola administration in Osun State invested heavily in social security, rural and urban development with quality infrastructural development projects and a vibrant education sector. The social investment was done through initiatives such as Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O’YES), Osun School Feeding and Health Programme (O’MEAL), Osun Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Programme (O’REAP) and Osun Ambulance services. Aregbesola focused on the six-point integral action plan which has over the years made his government to focus on social security areas through schemes such as the O-YES, O-MEALS,O-AMBULANCE the welfare scheme for the aged among others. He has provided succour to huge number of youths that hitherto had no hope. He set up Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) and under the scheme, he brought in volunteers to help their communities in social works such as clearing the drainages, removing refuse, feeding the pupils and directing traffic where such was necessary, among others.
Inwalomhe Donald writes from Abuja