The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, said the previous government, headed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, did not take the issue of insecurity seriously.
Matawalle, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Defence in company with the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, disclosed that the Ministry of Defence just took delivery of new attack helicopters to boost the fight against insecurity in the country.
This was as the Minister of Defence told the committee that there was synergy among the current Service Chiefs.
Mattawlle, while speaking before the Senate Committee on Defence, said the issue of insecurity needed collective attention from states, local and federal governments.
He said, “As a former Governor of Zamfara I know what I have gone through on the issue of insecurity, particularly banditry, which is new to us in the North-West.
“The issue of Boko Haram is not new in the North-East and our system, but because of what has transpired in the previous government, the issue was not tackled seriously.
“Today, actions are being made and operations taken on such criminals. The issue of security needs collective cooperation from state, and local governments and the federal government for Nigerians.
“We need key legislation on insecurity. It is gradually going down, we just received two attack helicopters to strengthen the battle against insecurity.”
