Ahmed Audi, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, called upon security personnel to show respect for the rule of law as they carry out their responsibilities.
Audi delivered the call at a two-day seminar held in Abuja on Monday, urging heads of security agencies to enhance collaboration across agencies, with support from the Federal Republic of Germany Foreign Affairs.
Audi pointed out that a major issue in Africa is the insufficient commitment to the rule of law by both citizens and security personnel, hampering the democratic development.
Consequently, he assigned security personnel the responsibility of conforming to the rule of law, mirroring the standards observed in developed countries.
‘The discussion on the rule of law is very apt and germane as far as this workshop is concerned.’
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‘We are all aware that the rule of law is one of the basics of democracy. In developed countries, we have seen how the rule of law is observed perhaps that is why fewer conflicts occur there.’
‘We have also seen that one of the problems that African countries have is the observance of the rule of law.’
‘This rule of law is also abused by security officials. They try to break the rules. But if we want to thrive and put African nations on the right path, we must observe the rule of law’, the CG noted.
Addressing the participants, the Deputy Resident Representative, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (a German Foundation) Lukas Laible, said ‘You are all part of an agency and are bound to the mandate of your respective agency. This is necessary in a system of rule of law. But, it is up to every person wearing a security outfit, how to fill that mandate with life and action.’
‘You can either be a front-runner, someone who is willing to dedicate his service to the fulfilment of the mandate or you could be someone who is just doing the necessary.’
‘You here are all front-runners, you are heads of agencies, you are the ones leading your fellow colleges. You are all leading by example, by special dedication.’