Nigeria should employ ICT to tackle insecurity - Arase

The former Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, yesterday advised the federal government to utilise Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to effectively fight crime.

He made the call in a paper titled ‘Strengthening and Evaluating National Security’ at the 50th Anniversary and International Conference of the Ahmadu Bello University’s Department of Political Science and International Studies.

The conference themed ‘National Question, Security and Governance in Nigeria’ was organized to analyse the issues of security and governance challenges theoretically and empirically to proffer credible prescription that would enhance national integration.

Arase said, “Internal security in modern times is built around three critical factors, which include; people, technology and systems. The people here refer to quality human resource highly motivated and equipped.

“We are now living in a globalised world where technology is both a challenge and also a solution. As a challenge, virtually all crimes are conceptualised and manifested with the use of technology, such as cyber crimes, kidnapping, insurgency, armed robbery among others.

“Conversely, technology is also a solution to internal security threats, as it provides solutions, hard and software that could be deployed to destruct elements that constitute threats.”

He also canvassed for the combination of diplomatic, military law enforcement and hearts and minds approach to tackle the security challenges facing Nigeria.

Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Ibrahim Garba, called on the alumni of the university to “pay back to the university” for it to maintain its lead in the South of the Sahara.