Islamic leader says peace requires cooperation between communities, security agencies and religious leaders

By Sadiq Abdulfatah

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called for greater adoption of community policing to address insecurity across Nigeria.

Represented by the Chiroman Kano, Alhaji Adamu Lamido Sanusi, the Sultan made the call on Wednesday at the Arewa Awareness Summit on Unity Against Insecurity held at Arewa House in Kaduna.

He said lasting peace can only be achieved when security agencies work closely with local communities, stressing that residents, especially young people, have valuable knowledge of their communities that can help prevent crime and improve intelligence gathering.

The Sultan said he has continued to work with imams, religious leaders, youth groups and other community stakeholders to promote peace and strengthen security, noting that collective efforts remain vital in tackling insecurity.

According to him, stronger cooperation between communities and security agencies would improve efforts to combat banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities across the country.

He also commended the organisers of the summit, describing it as a timely platform for sharing ideas and building partnerships to address security challenges in Northern Nigeria. The Sultan added that he attended the gathering to learn from experts and gain more insight into emerging security issues.

Earlier, the Director-General of the Arewa for Peace, Unity, Cohesion and Development Initiative (ACI), Dr Abdullahi Idris, said the summit was organised to identify practical solutions to insecurity and strengthen dialogue between communities and government.

Also speaking, Prof. Mohammed Tasiu Dan Sabo, who represented Prof. Ahmad Rufai, said military action alone cannot bring lasting peace, stressing the need to combine security efforts with justice, good governance and improved livelihoods.

The one-day summit brought together traditional rulers, security agencies, religious leaders, academics, civil society organisations and youth groups to discuss practical ways of tackling insecurity in Northern Nigeria.

Source: Daily Trust