Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has blamed the problem of insecurity in the country on bad leadership, injustice, mismanagement of national resources and deceits by the government.

El-Rufai gave the knocks while in a public  lecture with the theme: The Challenge of Internal security and Implications for National Development in Ile Ife during the 2012 National Re-union conference of the Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA).

The former Minister painted a gloomy picture of the Nigerian state, stressing that attaining a sustainable internal security requires good governance, stemming out of astute political leadership, effective policing, impeccable intelligence gathering, and equitable justice system with a sound economic base, all of which he lamented were presently lacking in the country.

Regretting that none of the six geo political zones of the country was spared of the insecurity problem, El-Rufai berated the Federal government on substituting facts with lies. He declared that the apparent causes of insecurity in the land included economic decline, income inequality, unemployment and hopelessness among the people, noting that these were governmental responsibilities. President Goodluck Jonathan he stressed has failed to deliver on his electoral promises on good governance.

The one time Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) accused the President of laxity and lack of commitment to resolve the Boko Haram insurgency in the some Northern states, citing the indifference of President Jonathan to the Borno Elders Forum which volunteered in June 2011 to coordinate dialogue with Boko Haram, but refused.

He added that by “consistently advocating a military solution without intelligence gathering, community engagement” and creating room for negotiations justified the argument that the present administration lacks willingness to find lasting solution to the menace.

Mallam El-Rufai faulted the huge vote on security and defence by the Federal government which he said has failed to achieve the intended objectives, stating that these have negatively impacted on investment flows and functioning of markets as the security was essential for development. He said: “Over 70 percent of the country’s estimated 160 million people live below the poverty line” while unemployment was estimated at about 30 per cent.