Students in Ogun State, under the umbrella of the National Association of Ogun Students (NAOSS), have urged President Bola Tinubu to be more decisive in dealing with identified sponsors and financiers of terrorism in Nigeria.
The students acknowledged the efforts of the Tinubu-led administration in combating terrorism, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping across the country, but stressed that targeting the backers of criminal elements would deliver a decisive blow to their activities.
NAOSS expressed the views in a statement jointly signed by its National President, Olubodun Olalekan, and the General Secretary, Adesanya Ifedayo, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday.
The association raised concerns over the spate of banditry and kidnapping nationwide and called for more pragmatic steps to halt the menace.
According to NAOSS, bringing sponsors and financiers of terrorism and banditry to justice would cut off the “jugular veins” of terrorists and block their financial lifelines.
The students also urged the Federal Government not to negotiate with terrorists, but to intensify efforts to dismantle their networks and defeat them decisively to discourage others from engaging in acts capable of undermining national security.
They further called on the Federal Government to pay greater attention to security by overhauling the security architecture where necessary, improving the welfare of soldiers and other security personnel, investing in modern weapons, scaling up intelligence gathering and strengthening community policing.
Meanwhile, NAOSS commended Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun for what it described as proactive steps in tackling insecurity in the state.
The association noted that the recent meeting of the Southern Governors’ Forum and traditional rulers on security, held in Ogun, was a step in the right direction.
It particularly lauded the governor for announcing the commencement of profiling of scrap dealers, popularly known as “bola-bola,” operating in the state, as well as enhanced security surveillance of identified flashpoints across Ogun.