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A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , Senator Lola Ashiru has called on governments at all levels to strengthen border security through the promotion of shared prosperity among border communities.
Ashiru representing Kwara South Senatorial District at the National Assembly made the call when members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council, paid him a courtesy visit.
He stressed that effective management of border communities would significantly reduce criminal activities.
The Senate Deputy Majority Leader noted that properly secured and economically empowered border areas would serve as a strong deterrent to crime.
“I feel our border links with neighbouring communities must be well managed. The first and most important step is to spread prosperity across these areas.
“Prosperity has a lot of influence on people’s ability to resist aggression, whether verbal or physical. Communities like Eruku and Koro are very similar. Eruku borders Kogi State, while Erinle here borders Osun State,” Ashiru explained.
He added that special attention must be given to border and peripheral settlements, describing them as the first line of defence against external threats.
“We should give adequate attention to these peripheral settlements because before internal aggression can occur, there must be collaboration from within. When people are satisfied with the system, the likelihood of supporting criminal activities or external aggressors becomes very low,” he said.
According to him, states sharing boundaries must adopt a coordinated approach by investing in the welfare and development of their border communities.
“Niger State should protect its territory by spreading prosperity, Kwara State should do the same, and Kogi State should also ensure prosperity along the Eruku and Koro axis. If we adopt this approach, issues of killings and insecurity will be greatly curtailed,” he stated.
Ashiru also commended the people of Woro for their resilience and solidarity, offering prayers for the repose of the souls of those killed in Woro and Kaiama.
“We must not forget that countless people have been murdered. And I appreciate the efforts of the Federal Government for taking several steps to safeguard lives of the people,” he said.
He further called for a stronger developmental approach by governments, particularly at the state level, to address insecurity and promote sustainable peace across Nigeria.