Ashimolowo urges FG to train corps members in security awareness

Founder of Kingsway International Christian Centre, Matthew Ashimolowo, has urged the Federal Government to integrate National Youth Service Corps members into the country’s security-awareness framework.

He said their involvement could help strengthen early detection of threats at the community level.

In a Thursday interview with Channels Television, Ashimolowo stated that Nigeria needs to increase its involvement in national security initiatives.

“All our NYSC guys, community service – we should train all of them to be aware. They see somebody just smoking hemp, not even committing any crime as yet. Then the security level will increase,” he said.

He supported the President’s recent orders to increase military deployment and law enforcement, saying, “Nigeria needs a turnaround. Let’s stand behind our president. Now that he has called for more policing… for more soldiers… let’s stand behind our president.”

As an example of broad security awareness, Ashimolowo cited Israel’s mandatory service system.

“Anytime I go to Israel, I’m amazed. Israel’s army is for 18-year-olds. You serve in the Israeli army from 18 to 22,” he said.

He did, however, issue a warning against the unrestrained use of state police, pointing out that political authorities might take advantage of it.orities.

“State police may work, but I tell you, it will end up becoming the personal army of somebody who will begin to use it at some point to terrorise others.

“This is Nigeria, and we have seen people who have misunderstood that word ‘executive’ behind their title. They execute what they should not execute,” he said.

The cleric expressed worries about Nigeria’s youth population’s vulnerability, claiming that criminals could easily entice them with financial rewards.

“60% of Nigeria is under 30. And if you don’t quickly harness them, and they hear how much the kidnappers collected, they kidnap a few people, you negotiate, and they pay you 50 million. Money you cannot earn with a master’s or with a PhD. People will be tempted. Let’s raise the security level. Let’s make our people proud to be Nigerians,” he said.

Ashimolowo added that the country must build national pride and tap into its intellectual capacity, saying Nigerians remain admired across the continent.

“When I go all over Africa — I’ve been to about seven this year — they want to be Nigerians. They’re so proud of us. They think we are the toughest, strongest, boldest,” he said.

This is the nation we have, and I believe we have a leadership that wants to make things work. Let’s support him. Let’s be behind him,” he added.

Ashimolowo’s security proposal comes against the backdrop of his assessment of the Federal Government’s perceived inability to address persistent terror crises.

He has repeatedly questioned why Nigeria has not ended terrorism in over 15 years. https://punchng.com/ashimolowo-questions-fgs-inability-to-end-terrorism-in-15-years/

He has also raised awareness of what he describes as “targeted persecution of Christians” in Nigeria.

In a recent interview with The Sun, he described how he “saw people being killed right before my eyes” during historic riots during his childhood in Zaria, Kaduna State.