National Security: Beyond Conventional Warfare – Joe Ikpea

By Simeon OSAJIE

The resurgence of the illegal activities of non-state actors across the country which has increased the tempo of kidnaping across the country is becoming a source of concern to average Nigerian citizens who are becoming  victims of kidnappers, daily.

This concern was expressed by a former commissioner and a governorship hopeful in Edo State, Hon Joseph Ikpea while chatting with newsmen in Benin City.

Hon Joseph Ikpea said, “Any responsible government will take the security of its citizens as a priority and as such go all the way, do everything within the ambit of the law to guarantee safety.

“Kidnapping and other ‘terrorist’ actions of militia and non-state actors are not conventional warfare and should not be approached as such, rather, other non-militia, political, civil and economic approaches should be evolved in trapping these ills that are fast killing the nation.”

Hon. Joseph Ikpea who has indicated his interest to seek the nomination of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to contest Edo State 2024 governorship election said, “A peaceful and crime-free society is achievable when government institutes policies with long-term positive effects on the people.

“There is no contesting  the fact that the cashless policy of the CBN and its twin, ‘new currency notes policy’ may have appeared to some of us as  harsh economic policies of government  which brought immediate suffering to Nigerians, mostly the petty traders and low-income earners.

“The fact remains that beyond the immediate economic consequences and effects of the policies, it is on record that it served as a security weapon which brought the activities of militia and kidnapers to a minimum. In a situation where kidnappers could not get cash from their victims, as well as could not take a transfer, else they could be tracked. Why then can’t we develop these policies to a foolproof status that can check criminality in Nigeria? “

About the possibility of facing out higher denomination currencies from circulation, the APC Chieftain said, “it is also my opinion that N1,000 and N500 be removed from circulation as this will help to reduce inflation and discourage kidnapping to a very great extent”.

The Edo central-born politician then opined that, “despite the attendant effects of the cashless policy and that of the newly introduced currency, the policies are well intended and should have been perfected as against been jettisoned.

“Policies may be hash initially but benefits accruable thereafter are enormous. I will call on the incoming government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, constitute an economic team to study the twin economic policies of cashless and new naira notes, redesign it to accommodate Small Scaled Entrepreneurs, and petty traders while also serving as security  weapon to counter kidnapping and other ills.”