Our Reporter
EDUCATION experts have advised authorities at national and local levels to fight insecurity in the land by addressing anti-social behaviours among youths and adopting peace education among the populace.
The education experts spoke at the weekend at the 13th security conference of the Institute of Security, Nigeria, with the theme: Community Policing and Neighbourhood Protection; Balancing Social Security and Peace Education for Sustainable Development, at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
A lecturer at UNILAG, Prof. Oluwayemisi Obashoro-John, called for peace education, social protection and community security to curb gangsterism in various communities.
Obashoro-John noted that the action was needed at national and local levels to effectively enhance security for peace, stability, and development.
“If the government should implement policies on peace education, social protection, and community security, it will go a long way to curb anti-social activities of folk-devils and gangsterism through the instrumentality of the state.
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“The activities of folk-devils and gangsters indicate the manifestation of physical and verbal aggression against the general public.
“The community security and social cohesion approach too is also seen as a response to the complex challenges of violence and insecurity,” she said.
Also, former UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, harped on the need to improve on the various security apparatuses of the country to win the confidence of investors.
“Security is a huge challenge in the country today and there can be no national development if there is no peace.
“So, those investors that were hitherto interested in coming to the country, based on the population and the market that we have here, are changing their minds because they cannot guarantee their investment.
“We all know what happened during the #EndSARS. The looting, destruction of property are not all good for security and development. So, it is a big issue,” he said.
UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, noted that fitness and character were two key elements needed to pilot security practices in a bid to attain maximum success.
