Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has said that Security is a collective responsibility that requires the active participation of all citizens of Nigeria. He made this remark while speaking at the 48th Annual National Conference of the Muslim Elders Association of Nigeria, held in Abuja. Gen. Musa highlighted the important role Nigerians play in the safety and stability of the country. He called on citizens to provide vital information that would enhance the operations of our security agencies. Security is not a sole prerogative of Security Agencies but should be seen as a doctrine of every Nigerian.
The conference was themed, “Making Living Worthwhile For All: Islamic Solutions to Economic and Security Challenges,” and provided a forum on the various issues of security and economic stability, which Nigeria is currently facing. The Muslim Elders Association of Nigeria, a socio-cultural and Islamic organization that promotes the cause of peace, unity, leadership values, and humanitarian services gathered relevant actors to address these issues together. The general, who was represented by Maj. Gen. Shuab Bashir, stated it was important for the general public and all security agencies to work together.
Citizen cooperation vital to national security, says CDS, commissioner.
He remarked that the support and cooperation of the citizenry are vital to addressing the economic and security humanitarian crises in the nation. “Security is everybody’s business; everyone must be involved,” he said while urging citizens to help by providing useful information to relevant security agencies. Echoing the same view of collective responsibility and guidance, the representative of the Police Commissioner in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Uba Alkali, also backed the CDS in those sentiments. He added that security can only be affected if all citizens work together. “Security is everyone’s business. I urge you all to work with the police to serve humanity,” he said, highlighting public commitment and cooperation as crucial public participation in improving national security.
Indeed, security is a collective responsibility, but this does not imply that citizens are expected to be security agents or protect themselves in the manner of trained agents. The notion that “security is the responsibility of everyone” derives from the understanding that while security agencies are the primary entities with a public responsibility to maintain law and order, citizens have a role to play in assisting security agencies to fulfill their responsibility. Citizens assist with security in a variety of ways such as taking stock of their environments, reporting suspicious activities, and being involved in community initiatives such as neighborhood watch programs.
Public urged to observe vigilance without vigilantism.
These roles do not supplant security agencies’ role in security. Rather, they augment the response of security agencies, by providing information and support. A country’s security agencies protect and enforce the law. Their personnel have been trained, equipped, and empowered by the state to respond to events where public security is threatened, to conduct investigations in the case of crime and to maintain public order. For instance, in events of crime or security threats, it is the security agencies who are to intervene, investigate and process offenders through the judiciary.
Further, security agencies have the responsibility to manage crises whether that be terrorism, insurgency or other forms of natural disasters and safeguard citizen safety as well providing national stability. Finding the equal balance of citizen involvement and responsibility and the obligations of security agencies is important. Given that citizens are encouraged to remain vigilant regarding potential threats to security, they are not to take the law into their own hands, nor to put themselves or others in danger. This way, jungle justice can be avoided.
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Ultimately, the primary responsibility for securing the nation rests with the security agencies, which are charged with protecting the public, enforcing laws, and responding to threats. However, the effectiveness of these agencies is augmented through active cooperation with the public. Citizens play a crucial role by reporting suspicious activities, sharing vital information, and participating in community safety initiatives. This partnership between the public and security agencies strengthens the overall National Security framework. Together, this relationship fosters a mutual responsibility, where both citizens and security forces work collaboratively to create and maintain a safe and secure environment.