My 72-Hour Insecurity Promise Shocked Nigerians — Chief CBN Onwuasoanya Ezendigbo

 

 Former presidential aspirant, Chief CBN Onwuasoanya Ezendigbo, has insisted that Nigeria's insecurity persists not because it is impossible to defeat, but because the country has failed to confront the systems that sustain it.

Speaking on his vision for national security and governance, Ezendigbo said many people murmured and dismissed his position when he declared that he could halt insecurity within 72 hours if entrusted with the leadership of the country.

According to him, the solution goes beyond deploying more security personnel, arguing that transparency, technology, and accountability are the real weapons against criminality.

"People murmured when I said I could stop insecurity in 72 hours."

He pledged that every police station across the country would be equipped with modern technology to improve intelligence gathering, surveillance, and rapid response.

The former presidential hopeful also vowed that transparency would define his administration, stressing that those surrounding him must be accountable and that he would never bribe his way into political office.

"If I am not transparent, my government cannot be trusted."

He further stated that appointments into his cabinet would be based strictly on competence and proven track records rather than political patronage.

Drawing attention to electoral integrity, Ezendigbo questioned what he described as glaring contradictions in Nigeria's elections.

"If only 5,000 voters were accredited and a candidate is declared winner with 25,000 votes, is that not banditry? And after being declared winner, you still thank the people who supposedly voted for you, is that not another form of banditry?"

He argued that criminality should not be viewed only through the activities of armed groups operating in forests, insisting that corruption and manipulation within public institutions equally undermine national security.

Using another example, he criticised the practice of charging passengers for luggage trolleys at airports where such services are expected to be standard.

"When an international airport operates on global standards but passengers are compelled to pay for trolley services, that is another form of exploitation."

Ezendigbo maintained that countries that have successfully defeated banditry did so by dismantling the networks that sustain criminal operations rather than merely confronting armed men in the field.

He said that under his leadership, any local government where insecurity persists would be subjected to thorough scrutiny to determine how criminal groups operate and who enables them.

Questioning the operational capacity of criminal gangs, he asked how surveillance equipment functions in areas without electricity and how bandits maintain effective communication networks without external support.

According to him, such questions expose the need to investigate the financiers, collaborators, and communication structures behind insecurity rather than focusing solely on those carrying weapons.

He concluded that Nigeria's fight against insecurity must begin with restoring transparency, strengthening institutions, embracing technology, and ensuring that no individual or institution remains above accountability.