The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari gave Nigeria’s security agencies’ heads a “new task” to address the continuing deterioration of insecurity.

The country beset by economic woes characterised by poverty, rising inflation, and a high unemployment rate is also facing wanton violence across the country with incessant attacks by unknown gunmen, bandits, and Boko Haram.

Mr Aregbesola, however, noted that the current insecurity was temporary.

The minister stated this on Friday in Katsina at the passing out ceremony of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) Female Squad.

“Let me assure Nigerians that the current situation is temporary, and we (sic) will soon pass by the grace of God.

“Our President, Muhammadu Buhari, has given law enforcement agents a new task to totally restore peace for every community in the country. We shall not rest or be tired until this task is accomplished,” he assured Nigerians.

The minister noted that the country could not achieve any meaningful development amid chaos, violence, and insecurity.

There have agitations by various sections of the country. In the South-East, some are calling for secession. There are demands for a more pronounced devolution of powers or restructuring in the South-South and the South-West.

Mr Aregbesola, a chieftain of Mr Buhari’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, said that the federal government established the all-women squad to secure schools across the country.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is notorious for the mass abduction of schoolchildren.

Mr Aregbesola directed other agencies in the ministry (immigration, prisons service, and fire service) to establish a female squad and give them tasks.

Women are more than half of our population. It is important therefore to include them in any act of nation-building, including security,” he said.

(NAN)