Nigeria Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has expressed concern over the state of insecurity in the country.
According to him, the security threats confronting Nigeria and other African countries are becoming more violent and spreading faster than before.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Laolu Akande, the Vice President said the insecurity in the country is becoming worrisome.
He spoke when Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the National Early Warning and Response Mechanism in Abuja.
According to the statement, the Vice President signed for Nigeria while President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Brou, signed on behalf of the regional body on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The MoU consolidated discussions by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its 45th Ordinary Session in Accra, Ghana, in July 2014, which endorsed the establishment of National Early Warning and Response Mechanism in member states.
Osinbajo during the event said “I don’t think there is a better time for this process than now, which will lead to full implementation of the Early Warning and Response System.
“We are at a time nationally, and sub-regionally, where the security threats that confront us are becoming more violent, they are asymmetric, spread faster than before, and they are cross border in their nature.
“There is no question at all that this is a moment when we really should be looking at how to collaborate in real-time and in increasingly more imaginative ways in sharing information, and also in sharing competence in order to confront our security challenges,’’ Osinbajo was quoted as saying.
He added that the clear expansion of the ECOWAS early warning and response network should include terrorism indicators which is very important.
“I think this has helped a great deal in not only focusing on terrorism, which is today possibly the most lethal threat that we face, but also in giving us an opportunity as a sub-region.
“This is to bring the very best possible ideas and to be able to check these threats as quickly and as efficiently as possible.
“The administration will ensure that the early warning and response system is implemented and we look forward to working with you ECOWAS in ensuring that it is fully implemented,” he said.