The Founder of Penpushing Media, Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, has advised President Bola Tinubu to establish the Ministry of Internal Security to be headed by Sheik Ahmad Gumi.
The veteran journalist said this will pave the way for a permanent solution to the unending kidnappings across the country.
Kayode-Adedeji gave the advice while featuring as a guest analyst on a live weekly radio programme on Fresh FM, tagged: “Polity and Governance,” which addresses various issues across the globe.
The media practitioner explained that this became necessary in view of the fact that the Islamic cleric is known to have uninhibited access to the bandits in their bases in the forests, and had on a number of occasions served as negotiator between the bandits and families of abducted Nigerians as well as the government.
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He pointed out that creation of the Ministry and appointment of Gumi as Minister to oversee its affairs is like putting a round peg in a round hole, stressing that if that will solve the insecurity menace in the country, it should be explored by the government.
Jayode-Adedeji said: “I will want to suggest to President Bola Tinubu that if creation of Ministry of Internal Security to be headed by Gumi, who is known to have uninterrupted access to the bandits in the forests, will bring permanent solution to the insecurity menace, there is nothing wrong in doing that.
“This is my own opinion and I think it is no more news that Gumi had a number of times engaged the bandits in discussions to pave the way for the release of some of those abducted persons after handing over ransom to them.”
The former Zonal Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists expressed worry over the spate of kidnappings, maimings and killings of innocent people by these kidnappers, lamenting that children are even the most affected victims, with many of them still in captivity.
Kayode-Adedeji expressed fear that keeping the children in the forest for months will not produce positive results if they eventually regain freedom, noting that their harsh experiences in captivity may harden them and turn them against the society in the long run.