A member of the Emirate Council, Alhaji Aminu Danagundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of Kano, says the constitutional role of traditional leaders is the key to addressing security challenges across the country.
Danagundi stated this in Abuja on Thursday during the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Inaugural Annual International Lecture.
The Lecture with the theme, ““Insecurity in the Sahel (2008-2024): Dissecting Nigeria’s Challenges – Genesis, Impacts and Options” was conceived by the management of NAN as part of efforts to tackle the menace of insecurity in the Sahel and Nigeria.
He told NAN on the sideline of the event that traditional rulers used to be directly in charge of internal security in the pre-colonial period.
“Because they know who comes in and who goes out of their communities at every moment. So, the traditional rulers are very, very key to security in Nigeria.
“However, there has to be a role, constitutionally, for traditional rulers to be able to act in fighting insecurity in communities.
“When we do that, at least, we’ll have stability in the country.
“But without traditional institutions, the problem of insecurity cannot be resolved. That I can assure you,” he said.
He urged political leaders in the country to handle traditional rulers with the respect they deserve.
According to him, traditional leaders need to be encouraged to do more for their people and their communities.
“But they will do little or nothing without constitutional provisions that specifically assign roles to them.”
Danagundi said that the NAN lecture has opened conversations toward finding a lasting solution to the lingering insecurity in the Sahel region of Africa.
Commending NAN for the initiative, the traditional leader expressed optimism that peace would return to the Sahel as the conversation continued and recommendations were implemented. (NAN)
