Greed, corruption fueling violence in Nigeria not religion -Abbas

Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House of Representatives,says greed and corruption are driving violence in Nigeria. Abbas spoke on Tuesday at the inauguration of the House ofRepresentatives ad hoc committee on border security. Represented by Ali Isa, the minority whip, Abbas said thegreen chamber has resolved to ensure that Nigerians, irrespective of theirethnicity or religion, can live peacefully wherever they choose. He said the committee is part of the house’s efforts toprovide “concrete” solutions to the violent attacks by “fringe members of thesociety that have led to the misrepresentation of our country, and thedistortion of the narrative of violence, which is fueled by greed, corruptionand sheer avarice, rather than by any religious agenda”. Abbas’ comments come in the wake of threats by US PresidentDonald Trump over the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria. ‘POROUS BORDERS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT’Abbas said the nation’s porous borders pose an existentialand economic threat to Nigeria. “As members of the national assembly, we have aconstitutional mandate to ensure that agencies charged with safeguarding ourborders do their jobs properly, especially now that the porous bordersconstitute both an economic and existential threat, eroding public confidencein the capacity of the state to protect its citizens and its territorialintegrity,” Abbas said. “In some ways, your borders define you as a nation. It showswhat kind of people you allow into the country, how you protect citizens fromharm, how you handle trade and commerce, how you welcome visitors.” He noted that the goal of the committee is to identifyvulnerabilities, operational shortcomings and compromised border officialscomplicit in the porosity of the nation’s borders. “You must review how monies allocated to relevant agenciesto protect our borders are spent, how extant international agreements andprotocols may have complicated the situation, and suggest policy or legislativechanges,” he told the committee. “The task of securing our borders is a multi-dimensional andmulti-agency responsibility. It demands synergy, transparency, and patriotismfrom all institutions of government involved. “Border security cannot be achieved in isolation; itrequires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach — one thatharmonises the efforts of the military, paramilitary, intelligence, and lawenforcement agencies; promotes intelligence sharing; and ensures thatcommunities at the borders are active partners in safeguarding our nation.” Abbas said the legislature is committed to strengtheningNigeria’s border governance through effective legislation, rigorous oversight,and adequate budgetary support. The presiding officer of the green chamber noted that theparliament is determined to ensure that all appropriated funds meant for bordersecurity are utilised judiciously and that the principles of accountability,transparency, and efficiency are upheld. He added that the committee’s findings and recommendationswill guide the house in initiating legislative reforms and policy interventionsto modernise border security frameworks. Abbas said the frameworks may include reviewing existinglaws, such as the Immigration Act and the Customs and Excise Management Act, aswell as related statutes, to reflect emerging global best practices andsecurity realities. Isa Anka, chairman of the ad-hoc committee on bordersecurity, harped on collective responsibility to safeguard Nigeria’ssovereignty and promote national prosperity. He said Nigeria’s borders face growing threats from illegalcross-border activities such as arms smuggling, human trafficking, and drugtrafficking. The lawmaker highlighted several factors underminingadequate border security, including inadequate resources, outdated surveillanceequipment, rugged terrains, numerous unmonitored entry points, and negativebehaviours among some border officials. He said despite government spending exceeding nine trillionnaira on security, the results have not matched the investment. Anka added that the committee would develop actionablestrategies and recommendations to curb border-related threats.

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