UNIZIK’s Security Summit ends in praise, as Faculty of Social Sciences receives Commendations

By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu

The Security Summit organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka with theme,’Security and the National question’ has ended in praise with commendations coming to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone and the faculty led by Prof Uche Collins Nwogwugwu from stakeholders in the security sector who asked for more of such summits.

Commendations came from the Minister of Defense who delivered the Keynote speech , Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi Rtd, Chairman, Senate Committee on Army who was the Guest Speaker, Senator Mohamed Ali Ndume , Chairman of the occasion/ former Senator representing Anambra central, High Chief Ben Ndi Obi and the lead Paper presenter , Prof Aja Akpuru Aja.

Others who commmeded the faculty of Social Sciences for organizing the security summit were Past President, ISACA Port Harcourt chapter Nigeria and a lead paper presenter/awardee , Princess (Mrs) Ngozi U.I Uche , an awardee and Chairman/CEO Seahorse Lubricants Industries Limited, Dr Ebuka Onunkwo, and another awardee Chairman/CEO EMYV Global Nigeria limited , Chief Emeka Chinweokwu as well as Chairman/CEO Dozzy Group of Companies, Sir (Dr) Daniel Chukwudozie represented by one of his managers.

Addressing the summit, the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi, called on political elites and religious leaders to desist from supporting individuals and groups threatening the unity of the country.

He noted that some of those commenting on some national issues particularly on insecurity do not seem to understand the implications of their utterances.

Represented by his Special Adviser, Technical, Ahmed Jibrin, the Minister said that some leaders had compromised, thereby supporting activities of renegade groups led by Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho and others, whose purpose, was to destabilize the country.

“The political and traditional elites at the local level are most times not present in their constituencies and that creates a vacuum that insurgents, terrorists and bandits fill in the administration of local authorities. What about the failure of our religious and opinion leaders who do not provide counter-narratives to the misguided religious zealots”

The Defence Minister according to www.odogwublog.com Reporter on ground explained that the Federal Government was not resting on its oars in using intelligence to carrying out security operations by the military and paramilitary to flush out insurgents in the North East and bandits and kidnappers in the North West and North Central.

He called on Nigerians everywhere to support President Muhammadu Buhari led administration to restoring peace to every part of the country.

In a lead paper presentation, a Professor of Political Science, from Abia State University, Aja Akpuru-Aja, challenged the nation’s security agencies to unmask the unknown gunmen who have been carrying out criminal attacks on public institutions such as Police stations and INEC offices, leading to loss of lives and property across the country.

Dwelling on the theme of the summit “Security and the National Question” the university Don called on the Federal Government to equip the security agencies for intelligence gathering and to declare the bandits, who had been unleashing mayhem on some parts of the country as terrorists due to their modus operandi.

“What is the government still waiting for to declare the bandits as terrorists?. They have been able to unleash terror on different villages and locations in parts of the North leading to loss of lives and property. In fact, recently, they have gotten the capacity to down a flying fighter aircraft. That alone is a good reason to declare them terrorists”

Contributing to the conversation via zoom, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, described the theme of the event as apt, even as he noted that the present narrative of insecurity can be reversed by concerted efforts of Nigerians who he noted had collectively driven the nation to its present state.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, UNIZIK, Prof. Charles Esimone, FAS noted that the aim of holding such thought provoking discourse as the Security Summit within the Faculty and Centres in the University, is to, through academic fireworks, arouse national and international consciousness, drawing the attention of the world to critical societal issues bedeviling the country with a view to proffering possible solution to the challenges. 

www.odogwublog.com reports that Prof Esimone further said the Summit aims at properly positioning Nnamdi Azikiwe University among the committee of Higher institutions in its vision and efforts to be counted among the ten best Universities in africa.

Prof. Esimone, a celebrated Professor of Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, said, it is hoped that the Security Summit would provide answers to the protracted security challenges and national questions that is worsening by the day, so as to provide an inroad for a renewed socio-economic development of the country.

Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Uche Nwogwugwu, said they were inspired to organize the event as a way of contributing to ongoing efforts towards finding lasting solutions to security challenges in the country.

The Dean posited that it is expected that the outcome of the intellectual fireworks and resolutions that will be generated from the Summit would trigger a reinvigorated consciousness in the discussions and manner of tackling general security issues in the country.

Utilizing the opportunity to request for some needs of the department, Professor Nwogwugwu listed 400 seaters Auditorium, a Social Science Research Institute, ICT center, staff offices, among others as the faculty’s pressing needs, and called on well to do citizens to come to their aid in that regard.

www.odogwublog.com reports that while responding to that call, an awardee, Chairman/CEO Chico Investment limited , Chief Chinedu Madubuko representative announced the intentions of Chief Madubuko to build a medium sized capacity Auditorium of about 400 seaters for the faculty while others donated cash towards that request.

The summit featured award presentations on awardees including, Chief Madubuko, Sir Chukwudozie, Dr Onunkwo and Chief Chinweokwu.
Others were HRM Pharm Alex Uzo Onyido , the traditional ruler of Ogidi, Chief Dr Alex Chika Okafor , Chairman/CEO Chicason Group of Companies , Hon Commissioner for Basic Education, Anambra state, Prof Kate Omenugha and Sir Paul Chukwuma Campaign Director General, Senator Andy Uba campaign Organization even as the event attracted top officers of security agencies in Nigeria, including the Army, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Security, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, among others who also contributed in the discourse.

The Subdean Faculty of Social Sciences, and Secretary to the Local Organizing Committee, Dr Tochukwu M Oguegbe and Senate Rep of the Faculty/Chairman Publicity Associate Prof Cornelius A. Ukwueze described the event in a session with www.odogwublog.com as apt, even as he commended the Vice Chancellor Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone and the Dean Faculty of Social sciences, Prof Uche Collins Nwogwugwu as well as Prof Au Nnonyelu and members of the planning committee led by Associate Prof Leonard Ezeh among others for the success of the security summit.