The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has called on the federal government to adopt a non-kinetic approach to address the security challenge in the country.

Habibu Ruma, the state coordinator of the coalition said this in Katsina on Sunday during a round-table meeting on the deteriorating security situation in the state.

Mr Ruma said the escalating violence and banditry in the state and northern Nigeria posed a serious security threat to the country.

“It’s severely impacting all aspects of development, with illiteracy, ignorance, marginalisation, poor leadership, religious intolerance, and drug abuse as major causes.

“The recent attack on a military camp in Faskari Local Government Area (LGA) on May 12, 2024, which resulted in the deaths of five soldiers and injuries to several others, was followed by another assault less than 24 hours later.

“On May 13, an operation in Yar’malamai village in Faskari LGA led to the abduction of more than 80 people, looting of shops, and burning of houses in an incident lasting over 10 hours.

“In spite of recent efforts by the Katsina State Government to complement our overstretched security personnel by establishing the Community Watch Corps to assist in combating terrorist activities, these initiatives have proven ineffective.

“Similar measures, such as the ‘Askarawan Zamfara’, in Zamfara State and the Community Guard Corps in Sokoto State, reflect a regional attempt to address insecurity through kinetic approaches, but these strategies have not yielded the desired results,” he said.

Mr Ruma said that as of August 2023, the police strength was below 380,000 men, which was insufficient based on a ratio of one police officer to about 600 citizens.

“As of 2022, Nigeria, with an estimated population of about 220 million people, had a total military strength of about 223,000 personnel. This gives a ratio of military personnel to a population of approximately 11,000. This is lower than those of Nigeria’s neighbours.

“Their armoury and welfare are in shambles, while the bandits’ armoury is increasing by the day with the latest drone testing by the terrorists, equally recruiting different segments of people either as informants or field actors.

“The Coalition in collaboration with other civil society organisations, advocates for the adoption of a non-kinetic approach to address the deteriorating security situation in the state.

“This situation required an urgent multi-dimensional approach that requires an all-inclusive approach with the community as a key component to manage the worsening security situation in the state, the northern region, and the country in general,” he said.

Mr Ruma said that the comprehensive instruments to tackle the security challenges in the state and the region should include informational, psychological, diplomatic, economic, social, and civil-military cooperation.

He added that a robust poverty alleviation programme in the state, especially in the rural areas, targeting young people should be introduced to reduce youth restiveness.

“We must reduce ungoverned spaces, manage porous borders, eradicate corruption, and promote unity in our diverse society. It is crucial that the community take ownership of the situation.

“A robust literacy programme should also be implemented in the state, particularly in rural areas, incorporating both religious and Western education to instil moral values in society, given that the majority of individuals involved in banditry lack formal education.

“It is time for the concerned authorities to explore the potential of a non-kinetic approach to address the deteriorating security situation in the state and the northern region.

“Shínkafi ín Zamfara has provided testimony on the use of a non-kinetic approach based on diplomatic, community dialogue, with remarkable results,” he said.

He said that this must be coordinated across the region with the active participation of the federal government to ensure that authorities were not sending conflicting signals to the bandits.

(NAN)