Yusuf Ishaku Goje
No doubt, the recent appointment of Barrister James Kanyip as the Honorable Commissioner of the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs is a huge boost in the fight against insecurity in Kaduna.
The appointment is long overdue with the Ministry staying without a substantive Commissioner for about 18 months – nonetheless a welcome development.
This concern was echoed in my previous article titled “Kaduna State: A Security Sector On Auto-Drive” on September 3, 2023.
I had posited in the write-up that, “the number one pillar in the seven-point SUSTAIN blueprint of The Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, is Safety and Security. It is therefore disturbing that the State Ministry of Internal Security & Home Affairs till now does not have a Commissioner.”
I then made the call, “We appeal to the Governor to accelerate the process of appointing a competent substantive Commissioner for the Ministry of Internal Security & Home Affairs to reposition the sector in fulfillment of section 14, sub-section 2b, of the Constitution.”
On who to be appointed I had affirmed that “the current security challenges confronting the State requires someone with the requisite knowledge, capacity, character, experience, exposure and reputation to effectively coordinate and deliver the Governor’s vision, as captured in his blueprint, of “a secure, peaceful and united Kaduna.
More so, someone who will earn the respect and cooperation of the Federal security agencies in the State. And create the enabling environment for the parastatal under it to effectively function.”
To give a better perspective, a brief on the Ministry is provided. In June 2019, The former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, signed an Executive Order, creating the Ministry alongside three others. The key mandate is: policy formulation and coordination of internal security matters and intelligence gathering; liaising with all Federal and State security agencies as well as the State Peace Commission/LGA Peace Committee; coordination of interfaith relations and pilgrimage matters; and oversight of any executive agency and parastatal within the mandate of the Ministry.
There are a lot of similarities with the mandate of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which highlights the importance of not just the Ministry but the quality of the individual that man it.
A quick search of the profile of the Honorable Commissioner shows that he has the requisite educational, professional, and administrative background as well as the needed experience, exposure, and tact to succeed in the tasking job.
Despite not having a security background, there is no debate that he is suited for the job. Notwithstanding, whether he will perform or not, only time will tell.
While the Commissioner is coming at a time when the security situation has impressively improved, his success will be measured by how well he can consolidate the gains. At this point it is imperative to commend the combined effort of the Federal Government, the armed forces led by the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Kaduna State Government for the progress achieved so far in improving the security situation.
Yesterday, I had a discussion with a friend and brother about the security situation in Kaduna State. He brought to my attention the notable progress with the peaceful celebration of Christmas in 2024, without any reported attacks by bandits.
A quick online search confirmed that Christmas celebrations in Kaduna State indeed passed without any reported attacks by bandits, a welcome respite from previous years.
Unfortunately, the state has experienced Christmas-time violence in the past, including a Christmas Day attack in the Anguwa Aku community of Kajuru LGA in 2022, a Christmas Eve attack in the Anguwan Mailafiya community of Jema’a LGA in 2017, and a December 2023 incident where military action against bandits in Tundun Biri community of Igabi LGA – which unfortunately resulted in civilian casualties.
With Barrister Kanyip’s inception activities underway – especially the familiarization and coordination meetings with the security agencies and Chief of Defence Staff and the appointment of a competent Technical Aide – expectations are high.
More so, how he builds on the successes of the non-kinetic approach being employed – which focuses on influencing behavior, shaping perceptions, and addressing root causes of conflicts through non-military means.
However, to succeed, the Commissioner will require adequate and timely cash-backing of budget allocation to the Ministry.
A look at the 2025 approved budget shows that the MDA got N11.76 billion, made up of recurrent and capital expenditure allocations of N7.06 billion and N4.70 billion, respectively. Therefore, the State government must prioritize the MDA’s budget cash-backed releases under first-line charge to empower it to carry out its mandate effectively.
Civil Society should equally pick more interest in the activities of the Ministry to advocate for transparency, accountability, and value for money.
Goje is an active citizen, civil society member, and OGP enthusiast.
