Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has revealed plans by the Federal Government to recruit more troops and officers into the armed forces as well as procure more equipment, including drones, to beef up security situation in the country.
The disclosure made to a team of Christian leaders in Abuja on Monday, came on the heels of a nationwide protest over the weekend by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over deteriorating security situation across the country, particularly seemingly targeted killing of Christians.
Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande , in a statement said the vice president received at the Presidential Villa, clergymen from the Northern part of Nigeria under the aegis of the Arewa Pastors Forum for Peace
The vice president said the Federal Government was committed towards containing the threats and security concerns in the country, assuring the pastors that government was doing everything that needed to be done.
“We are handling security well, and as you know, including military deployment in diverse fields, like the Boko Haram in the Northeast.
“In fact, we have to now recruit more into the army, and much faster than we ever did because we need men on the ground; resources also – to buy more arms, to buy more platforms.
” At the last meeting of the National Security Council that was held on Thursday, we had discussions on how to beef up the military’s platforms.
“How do we beef up the numbers? How do we recruit more men and women into the army? How do we collaborate more with local vigilante, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and all that.
“So, there is a lot going on in terms of trying to beef up security; the security situation is one that is very challenging.
“We are also looking at aspects of surveillance – how we can do more aerial surveillance using drones and electronic devices to improve surveillance,” he said.
Osinbajo assured the clergymen that the Federal Government was also committed to finding lasting solutions to the perennial crisis in communities in the North and other parts of the country, including the ones bothering on religious prejudices.
He urged the group as ‘Men of God,” to also come up with ideas and their thoughts on how to find lasting peace.
Earlier in his remark, President of the Forum, Bishop Mbayo Japhet said the group’s visit to the Presidential Villa was to support the administration and the vice president.
The Bishop described Osinbajo as an apostle of peace.
