Former head of state, Chief Ernest Shonekan on yesterday in Abuja called for dialogue with leaders of those responsible for the spate of insecurity in parts of the country.
He made the call at the graduation ceremony for participants in Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 5, of the Institute for Security Studies.
Shonekan, who was the chairman of the occasion, said the dialogue was necessary to ascertain why they engaged in the act and to find ways to end the crisis.
"They are Nigerians, and to that extent, we must find ways and means of engaging them in robust dialogue to make them see reason and eschew violence.
"Such dialogue will also enable us to know the reasons behind their actions and how to end the violence.
"Perhaps there are other key things they would like Government to do in order to stamp out insecurity from the country," he said.
Earlier, Mr Ekpeyong Ita, the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), said that the activities of terrorists had affected the image and development of the country.
"I must say that the activities of terrorists have been serious sources of strain and stresses on corporate existence, image and development of the country. This Service and other Security forces with the support of government have worked assiduously to contain and reduce considerably the activities of these unscrupulous and misguided elements.
"Let me reiterate the point that Nigeria can never be divided by the activities of some misguided, ignorant terrorists or those unscrupulous individuals whose activities and utterances kept chiseling though unsuccessfully the very foundation of those things we hold dear, particularly the unity of this country. To this last group of people, I am saying enough is enough.
"It is only when there is development that you can have security, because without development there can be no security. We also bear in mind that the security is for the individual, it is when the individual is secured that the Nation is secured."
Fourty eight participants, drawn from 19 organisations, including the SSS, Police, Military, para-military bodies, and NGOs participated in the nine month course. (NAN)
Daily Trust
we hope they hug peace soon