Why I'm organising youth security summit -Pastor James

Pastor Bassey James is a man of many parts. He is the General Overseer of Royal House of Grace, a renowned criminologist and the President of Southern Youths development Forum. In this no-barred-hold interview with SUCCESS DAMIAN, he X-rays Nigeria’s current security challenges, ahead of the proposed national Youth’s security Summit by the Southern Youths Development Forum. Excerpts

How do you react to a situation where some influential traditional leaders, who believe that the security situation in Nigeria has gone out of hand,  are sensitizing the subjects and ethnic communities to rise up in defense of the own land?

No the security situation of this country has not gone out of hand. I don’t want us to play into the hands of the enemies of Nigeria. People are still moving here and there; people are moving on air, travelling north south, east and west and air crafts have not been shot down. We should not exaggerate, we shout not put fire; we should not encourage the enemies of Nigeria to rejoice over Nigeria. Nigeria is a great country; a country that has over 200 million people is a treat to other countries because the size of Nigeria, the wealth that is in this country and the population that is in this country is a treat. So we should not allow those things to happen. I think that the traditional rulers and the political class should be very mindful of whatever statement they make in the interest of Nigeria.

You are a renowned criminologist. As security expert how would approach at solving the insecurity issue in our nation today?

The Southern Youths Development Forum, which I am the President, is organizing national youth security summit first to support the President in his fight against insecurity; and to give the youths of our great nation a sense of hope and to encourage them to do what is right.

There is need for our youths to believe in Nigeria; hence we also want to build a sense of direction for their future. The attention this time is to build collaboration among the southern youths, northern youths and also our elders; because I think that the issue insecurity, crime and criminality today are principally with the youths. Crime, Boko Haram and all kinds of criminality are not committed by the elders or senior citizens. They are committed by the young between the ages of 17 to 50. So I think that we should start talking to the youths. We need to build confidence in their lives and to create an environment for interaction. That's a major thing; and to look at how cement the relationship amongst the youth of our nation in totality, build a cohesion and to assure them that it can always get better.

At what time are you going to have the security conference?

 We want to start the various editions of the conference as soon as possible; may be between September and October. We will have, at least, one in all the geographical regions. We intend to start in the south western region, in Lagos; for the north, we are looking at Kaduna; in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; in the south south, we will have it in Uyo; and Enugu in the South East. We want to see how we can reach the people because violence will never pay and never do anybody any good. The most important thing is to see how we can talk to our youths and support the government to stop the criminality.

Do you have plans to involve other relevant private and public organs whose contributions can help to achieve your goals?

I think that government should key into the initiative. We will invite our leaders and also encourage them to be part of the youth’s security conference. There is need for Nigerian youths to be engaged. There is need for those in government and those out of government to sit down and talk. There is need for the captains of industry and business moguls to sit and talk; because the government alone cannot do it. The kidnapping, the insecurity, robbery has assumed a very dangerous dimension and it cuts across the states. It is not something we should state apportioning blames to the federal government or state governments. But there is need for us to contribute our own quota. I have contributed my own part. In my state, I donated security equipment worth millions of naira; and built a police station equipped with modern communication equipment.  There is need for every person to do something.

And the issue of community policing will be discussed. One of the recommendations that the Southern Youths Development Forum will put forward to the federal government is the issue of local governments creating police units. If, for instance, each local government in Nigeria haa 100-200 trained men/vigilante to secure the communities in their own local government areas, security issues will be contained. The police alone cannot solve this problem. The total number of the police is less than one million; we have also over stretched the army; we have over stretched the security agencies including the police. So there is need for the government to work with us and let everybody to contribute, bring in technologists, retired military people and let everybody contribute to the security development of Nigeria. One hundred to two hundred people across the local government areas as vigilante to guard protect the mother communities, the villages, the town unions and with the help of the Local government chairmen of the local governments and the traditional rulers Nigeria will have secure and peaceful society.

Part of the security problems in Nigeria is the infiltration and collaboration of locals by foreign terror organizations.  Will your summit also to address this aspect?

No that is outside the scope of our discussion at Youth’s summit. We are going to discuss the dangerous dimension that the youths are going by taking up arms against their brothers and sisters. We are going to discuss the issue of Nigeria, the North, South, East and West. We want to talk about how we can live together not as Igbos, Hausas, Yorubas, Efiks, Benins, Beroms, Kanuris or what have you; but as Nigerians. We will be talking on how the youths should not yield themselves to be used for crime and how they can stay away from politicians who want to use them for all manners of crime against society. 

That is why we say that we don’t need to over-stretch the Nigerian intelligence and security sector. That aspect will be handled by government security agencies like the Police, Army, Customs and Immigration. The regular Police Force is doing what is good, but like I said they are over-stretched. Infiltration of enemies into our country will be left for the military and other security agencies whose mandate is to secure the borders and territorial integrity of Nigeria. The Customs should pay greater attention to the influx of all manners of weapons. There is need for everybody to be involved. I think that the President is doing all of things in that regard. Precisely, what the conference will dwell on is how we can look at ourselves as Nigerians and not looking at ourselves from the point of regional or ethnic biases. For instance, even though I am from Akwa-Ibom, I am a Nigeria. 

Let us begin to build in out youths the spirit of nationalism. A man of 70, 80 years and above cannot go and carry arms. Again, the major problem we have in this country is politics; we are going to look at that. There is a lot of politics in this country even after political party has won the won elections. A Nigerian political leader begins to prepare to remain as a leader for 15 to 20 even those who have been governors want to still control their states. They begin to strategise on how to install governors in the states; they are not concerned about government business and what is going on. That is why our youths are on the rampage. Let us begin to see how we can build Nigeria, if you win election for four years concentrate on governance. And when you are out of government allow the governor to work. The idea of winner takes it all must stop. When you win election invite other capable hands outside your party to help develop our country. You don’t own the society, and you are not Lord over Nigeria that when you win election you shut the door against the youths. There is need for us to start talking about all of this.

What is your opinion about military people manning our high ways?

I also want to disagree with the idea of bring the Nigeria army to man highways. It is not a good idea. I beg to disagree with the Vice President. You cannot over-stretch the Nigerian military. Equip the Police and allow them to do what they are doing; they are trained. The federal government should engage more people to contribute to the security development and maybe look at increasing the number of policemen, military and other security agencies.

From where are you going to draw the resource persons so that we don’t just have mere talking heads and no effectiveness?

We are extending the invitations to the Presidency, the governors, serving ministers, past heads of state, past Presidents, former Ministers and the political class. We are bringing in the industrialist, the diplomatic missions, and traditional rulers. We need to start talking. It is good to critise government but what are you putting on the table. Instead of sitting down to criticize Buhari’s government let first sit down and bring our various contribution to the security and general development of our country.