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By Florence Akintola
Nigerians serving in different security services across the globe are eady to assist in bringing an end to the current security challenges plaguing the country.
A Nigerian-Canadian Police Officer, Sergeant Detective Bassey Osagie, disclosed this in an interview on Diaspora Discourse, a live interview radio programme on Spirit of Nigeria Radio over the weekend.
Osagie, who has been working in the largest municipal police force in Canada, the Ontario Police Service, Toronto, for 22 years, explained that there are many Nigerians in top positions in security services of developed nations with the patriotic commitment, network, intelligence and capacity to help Nigeria surmount her current security challenges.
He, therefore, challenged the country’s leadership, to demonstrate the required political will, and ensure that requests for foreign support are properly coordinated and channelled.
The Nigerian-Canadian, who opined that Nigeria’s current security architecture need to be restructured, suggested the decentralisation of Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
“Crime is localised, crime is not foreign; if you want to deal with crime, you have to get the people on ground in that local area. That is why we have municipal policing here in Canada,” Osagie said.
While cautioning that state police should only happen if Nigeria has a strong federal police, he identified leadership, wrong recruitment process, poor remuneration, inadequate or lack of compensation, obsolete equipment, training, poor intelligence gathering and inability to deploy modern technology as some of the challenges facing security agencies in Nigeria.
The Edo State-born police officer, who is willing to serve his country under “strict conditions” is starting a radio programme on security, “Diaspora Cop” on Spirit of Nigeria Radio.
He added that a well planned military campaign by Nigerians in diaspora serving in security services across the globe can neutralise bandits, terrorists and kidnappers troubling the country within six months.