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The federal government has vowed to crack down on rising crime which it described as a “real challenge” to the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo, ‘The Guardian’ reported on Monday.
The pledge was made at the end of a three-day retreat on national security that Obasanjo convened in the capital, Abuja. The Lagos daily reported that 400 opinion leaders attended. They
examined elements that posed threats to individual and collective security and outlined action to contain these dangers. Delegates also discussed the challenges to national security in the run-up to elections in 2003, current levels of violent crime and the role of civil society in maintaining law and order.
Vice President Atiku Abubakar said that his administration had tried to reverse the repressive policies of past authoritarian regimes and harness “over-zealous security operatives”. He called on elected leaders, traditional rulers and security personnel to “create the right atmosphere” conducive to national security.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions