A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Kawu Baraje, at the weekend, frowned at the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government over insecurity across the country.
Baraje said this in Ilorin, on the sideline of the graduation ceremony for students of Baraje Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Gerewu area Ilorin, Kwara State.
He decried the rate at which insecurity was spreading to every part of the country, saying it had gone worse due to high level of unemployment in Nigeria.
Baraje suggested a holistic approach from all relevant authorities in government to bring the menace under control.
He linked insecurity in Nigeria to the rate of unemployment and poverty in the country, adding that “records of arrested suspects had shown that 30 to 50 percent of those perpetrating criminality in Nigeria were foreigners who were simply capitalizing on joblessness of teeming Nigerian youths and enticed them with token to get necessary information and be of partners.
“Unlike in the past, when PDP was in power, and getting Nigeria youth busy with different activities fetching them living legitimately, like, YES, Sure P and other empowerment programmes.”
Baraje charged the APC-led federal government to look more inward and come up with different initiatives that can get youth engaged mentally and physically, saying it was the only serious way to solve the problem of insecurity.
“APC-led federal government should recruit youths across the country, give them quasi-military training and upon completion of their training, deploy them to man Nigerian borders. The nation’s porous borders should be manned by patriotic youths to check the illegal entry into the country by aliens.
“Government should also prioritise education of the youths and as well employ or find means of engaging the unemployed youths to discourage them from all acts of criminality,” he said.
Baraje also condemned religious extremism, sayings such practice negates the practice of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and dictates of Holy Qur’an.