Inspector General of police, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar Tuesday  declared that the current security challenges confronting the nation were a threat to democracy noting that it has seriously retarded the delivery of democratic dividends in some parts of the country.

Speaking at the opening of the National Summit on Security Challenges Tuesday, the IGP said, “The security situation in Nigeria, in recent times has been a source of great concern to all patriotic citizens and to the international friends of Nigeria’.

“The security challenges posed by the oil politics resonated with militancy in the Niger Delta, the rampant kidnapping in the South East, communal, ethnic and religious crisis predominant in the North; and the current terror crimes exemplified by the Boko Haram insurgency, combined to inform the urgent need for a summit of this nature to enable critical stakeholders brainstorm on the ways to forge ahead”.

Emphasizing that “The foregoing informed the step taken by the Nigerian Police force in collaboration with Vanguard Newspaper to convene this national summit on security challenges, the IG said, “As the country grows in terms of development, so is the nature and sophistication of threats being faced. It is undisputable that security plays unquantifiable role in the growth and development of any human society. It is fundamental to the very existence of the society”.

‘Security is undoubtedly the foundation on which any society’s socio-economic cum political development are built. Insecurity, therefore, is a venomous threat to the wellbeing of the citizens of any nation and a cankerworm that destroys the root that holds the existence of any nation”.

Continuing the IG said, “The import of this summit is to harness ideas and strategies on how to combat the current security impasse in the country. I strongly believe that the Nigerian Police is not alone in the dire quest for solutions to the country’s security problems which tend to retard democratic dividends in some parts of the country”.

“Convening this forum is an avenue for stake holders to chart the course to the safety and wellbeing of our country and its citizens. Having taken this noble and courageous step, we must all endeavour to put our differences aside and focus on the voyage of championing the protection of the legacies bequeathed by our founding fathers. We have no other country to call our own, beside Nigeria. If the security problems are adequately contained, every other thing will naturally fall into its proper shape”.

While pledging that “The Police under my leadership shall continue to do its best in providing safe and secured environment to the peoples of the nation”, the IG added, “Providing a free society where all those living in the country can conduct their lawful businesses without let or hindrance is the present Police management dream for the country”.

“The driving force of this summit is therefore my strong belief that security is eve3rybody’s responsibility. Coming together under the auspices of this national summit will provide the opportunity of working together to fight this security threat. Nigerians across the country will be listening with rapt attention, having high hopes and great expectations of seeing the end of these nightmares”.

“They will expect this summit to furnish their government with the much awaited solutions that will end this threat to their peaceful co-existence. At the end of this all important national summit, all stakeholders should hold their heads high for providing posterity, a safe and secure country where peace and justice reign”, the IG said.