Old students of the College of Advanced Studies (CAS), Zaria, who graduated in 1984, have urged the Federal Government to embark on massive recruitment of security personnel.
The call was contained in a communique signed by Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Francis Kozah.
The old students body held its 4th Annual Lecture and Lunch, to boost the security of lives and properties, as well as to reduce unemployment.
The old students said that the call was aimed at positioning Nigeria to meet the UN security ratio of one security officer to 450 citizens.
The annual lecture, which took place at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites, Abuja, had the theme: “Nigeria’s Security at Crossroads: Navigating the Way Out.”
The group also called on the government to train, retrain and motivate security personnel in all security agencies.
They also advised that community policing, under the control of traditional rulers, should be introduced and adequately funded by all levels of government, to secure lives and properties and reduce unemployment.
They noted that insecurity had reached an unacceptable proportion in the past 10 years, with persistent loss of many lives and properties and a general feeling of insecurity among citizens.
They, however, argued that relative peace is gradually returning in the country under President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
They said: “As such, government body language on insecurity should send out a strong and clear message that criminal activities or actions in all ramifications shall not be tolerated.
“All perpetrators of crimes shall be arrested, prosecuted, and if found guilty, punished under law, no matter how lowly or highly placed, to serve as deterrence to others.
“Government, religious leaders, and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should mobilise and sensitise citizens not to see perpetrators of crimes as people of a particular tribe or religion.
“They should see and treat them as the criminals that they are since no tribe or religion is devoid of criminal elements”.
The group further called on the government at all levels to resettle all victims of insecurity across the country through the reconstruction of their burnt houses or properties, among other supports.
They also called on the government at all levels to make schools functional and very attractive to school-age children, to adequately prepare them for a profitable future and keep them away from crime.
The group also called on the Kaduna State Government to restore CAS as an autonomous college to run courses for Interim Joint Matriculation Board examination for direct entry into Universities.
They added that the College should also be given the mandate to run a General Certificate for Education (GCE) make-up programme for deficient students in the state, among others.
The old students also advised that all IJMB courses in all institutions in Kaduna state be transferred to CAS, Zaria.
They equally urged the government at all levels to ensure that public health facilities function optimally, easily accessible, and affordable to all citizens.
“The government should also boost power and agriculture to strengthen self-employment and boost the economy, thus reducing unemployment and insecurity.
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“The government should equally check the excesses of some religious leaders,” the old students said in the communique.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, served as the keynote speaker at the event, while the guest speaker, Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State, was represented by Prof. Abdulhamid Ahmed, Commissioner for Higher, Technical and Vocational Education.
