New Telegraph

Nigeria should adopt COVID-19 strategy to tackle insecurity –Gen. Ihejirika (rtd)

The former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), yesterday, said Nigeria would win the war on insecurity if fought with common resolve as in the case of the Coronavirus.

 

General Ihejirika, in his key note address at the Methodist Theological Institute’s (MTI)chaplaincy capacity building conference tagged, ‘Leadership Impact in 21st Century Nigeria,’ organized by the Students Union Government of the institute in Umuahia, said that in the fight against coronavirus, Nigerians jettisoned religion, party, tribe and status as such issues did not matter.

 

He noted that if such resolve was adopted by governments at all levels with citizens’ involvement, insecurity would become a thing of the past in Nigeria. Ihejirika advised those in authority to do whatever was necessary to restore security as the people were already distressed.

 

The ex Army Chief also advised the students of the institute that as priests, they must show compassion in dealing with everyone in or out of the church in line with the oath of sacrifice and service. “Having found the nature of insecurity in the country, as priests, you must focus on the youths.

 

It is always very easy to destroy, but to build is very difficult. Spreading false information has become the order of the day in today’s Internet world,” he said.

 

Ihejirika advised priests not to forward Whatsapp messages without verification. This, he said, might create hatred and fear among the citizens who would believe messages from priests that they hold in high esteem.

 

“As Christians and leaders, we must seize every opportunity to condemn violent crimes and spreading of hatred. When you receive Whatsapp message and send it without first scrutinizing it, you contribute in spreading fears.

 

“Spreading fears will not help anybody, rather, it will worsen our condition. If you tell the whole world that South East is under siege, that it is not safe to go to the market, our people and others who want to do business with us will run away from us, and hunger and other disaster will set in and we will become worse for it,” he said.

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