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The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, on Sunday said citizens must trust the military and other security agencies for the war on insecurity to be more effective.
He made the comment while speaking on a Channels Television special program for Democracy Day.
“It is for us to have an understanding that we can’t withhold information and expect miracles to happen,” he said. “Certainly it’s not going to happen.
“I’m a victim as well as any Nigerian that is on the street. We are all victims together. There’s no one who is on the other side. We are in it together. We are on the frontlines. Trust is not something we need to beg for.
“I will seek and crave the indulgence of all Nigerians to say that there has to be trust. Trust must exist and trust must be given in all respect, so that together we will achieve the state of peace that we so desire.”
The General noted that “a lot of improvement” has been recorded in securing the country in the past one year.
However, he admitted that the desired state of security is yet to be achieved.
Parts of the country continue to be subjected to repeated acts of violent crimes, including kidnapping and gunmen massacres.
On June 5, gunmen attacked St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, killing more than 30 people.
The CDS regretted the violent incidents but argued that security agencies have averted several others.
He said in the same week of the Owo attack, security agencies had halted what could have been a major attack in Kano and Abuja.
“We recovered a large quantum of arms and ammunition and other materials which, of course, the criminals were intending to use in various parts of the country, including Abuja,” he said.
“That the Owo incident happened does not imply that improvements have not happened.”
“Peace is a process,” he said. “It is not an end-state. We are working to get to a stage where we get to zero-incidents.”
