In an exclusive interview with Africa TV, General David Medayese Jemibewon, an Elder Statesman, former Governor of old Western State of Nigeria under the late General Murtala Mohammed regime and also a former Minister of Police Affairs under former President Olusegun Obasanjo civilian regime, gave insight into how the insurgency could have been nipped in the bud earlier before it nuclear when asked to advise President Buhari on how to solve the insecurity problem and the insurgency in the North-eastern part of Nigeria.
“To be honest with you, it’s very difficult for me to advise him now. Buhari has gone more than halfway of waste. His term, if it were at the early part of his time now, could have been fairly different. For example, when this insecurity was very, very hot, particularly in the Northeastern part of Nigeria. I was thinking that the situation should have been treated like during the Nigeria Civil war and I attended one event in Osogbo, where I was the Chairman of the reception and I emphasized at that time, that the insurgency should be treated as a full-blown war situation, how we approached the civil war in Nigeria. Then we set up a committee, and Danjuma was made the head of the Presidential Advisory Committee, but the situation had changed today.
I think Buhari did not take this insecurity matter at that time as a national problem and treat it as a matter of urgency like we treated the war situation. We should have treated it as a national problem and financial contribution should be made by every adult Nigerians towards the prosecution of that insurgency, but we didn’t until the thing became overblown and I’ll also probably have suggested, and which is related now, that a certain people should be assembled, certain people with a good record in this country that cut across various professions, economic institutions on how those insurgencies should be prosecuted and brought to a close. It will be a different committee at different levels and people who have shown character and records should be the people constituted into some of this committee. And they should have periodical meetings, not full time. They have Secretary here in Abuja to advise the government, while these committees raise money and the other will come up with a strategic approach. I don’t know now but these are the two things I’ll suggest if I’m to advise the president.