The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria has advocated true autonomy for LGAs, saying it will help in tackling bandits, killer herdsmen and kidnappers.

Ibrahim Dasuki, a former ALGON president and member of the board of trustees, said this at a news conference organised shortly after an emergency meeting of the executive council of the BOT and past presidents of the association in Abuja.

Mr Dasuki said, “If you look at the security challenges we are facing in Nigeria, virtually in every zone are local in nature, it does not happen in the city, be it insurgency, banditry and others are mostly happened at local government levels.

“Why is it so? It is because of the failure of the local government system. If you could look back to the history, our local governments played key roles in ensuring peace and security especially the responsibilities given to traditional institutions.”

He added, “I will like to call on the government to look at the local government’s role in security matters. It is imperative because despite the fact that there is security committee comprising all the security agencies, we have to incorporate traditional institutions to the system so that they play a key role in solving security challenges.”

Mr Dasuki commended the Supreme Court’s judgment on the local government’s financial autonomy implemented by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“The political aspect is also being done by the National Assembly as the NASS lawmakers were directed to look at those key areas so that true autonomy of local government can be achieved.

“So, if that can be done and achieved over a period of time, I believe that some of the security challenges we are seeing can be managed and probably resolved in due time,” he said.

(NAN)