Chief Gani Adams, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland and National Co-ordinator of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), has called on President Bola Tinubu to decentralise the country’s  security system to address challenges.

Adams made the call  in a statement issued  by his Special Media Assistant, Mr Olawunmi Ojo, on Thursday, in Lagos.

He was reacting to the  recent killings in Benue, Plateau and other parts of the country.

He said the recent  violent attacks in Benue,which resulted in  loss of many  innocent lives ,property, and  displacement of communities, were condemnable.

“The recurring killings have now gotten to a stage that demand sustained and multifaceted responses from the Federal Government to restore peace, protect citizens, and promote reconciliation and development in the troubled areas.

“I have been at fore of the clamour for restructuring of Nigeria and part of the content of restructuring is the decentralisation of Nigerian security architecture.

“If the Federal Government does not decentralise the security architecture of the country, no amount of prayers would save us from the unnecessary embarrassment of insecurity.

“The time for a decentralised security system that would allow for federal, state and local government police, is now.

“This is the only way to stop such mindless killings going on in Benue, and other such places, where lives are taken out mindlessly by non-state actors and other marauders,” Adams said.

He noted that  insecurity is a stain on the country’s image and a barrier to foreign investments.

“This would keep affecting our image and economy negatively,” he added.

The OPC leader said the  recurring security challenges in Benue and other states like  Plateau and Taraba stemmed from a complex interplay of root causes.

He listed some of the  causes as communal disputes weak security and law, enforcement, proliferation of arms and armed groups, political and governance challenges, and socio-economic factors, such as poverty and unemployment.

Adams said that the recurring killings continue to undermine peace, stability  and development in the affected states and beyond.

According to him, the violence violates  the fundamental right to life, guaranteed under Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

He said that it also threatens the social fabric and economic wellbeing of the affected communities.

“It is also a threat to the peace, security, and unity of our nation.

“The violence disrupts agricultural activities, which are the mainstay of the local economies, thereby exacerbating poverty and food insecurity,” he added.

Adams urged  government to always act on intelligence reports in order  to tame the  activities of criminals and terrorists in   different parts of the country.

According to him, several communities in the South West are also battling with a number of security threats such as kidnapping and murderous activities of criminal herders .

He  noted  that his office had written to the state governments in the region on the need for synergy with the Southwest Security Stakeholders Group, which  he leads

Adams said the group comprises 14  private security groups, with capacity to combat the security  threats in the region.