Leadnaija
The former Inspector General of Police In his article highlighted that economic development serves as a potent strategy for crime prevention. By concentrating on initiatives that provide employment, enhance skills, and promote inclusivity, it’s possible to change motivations, restore trust, and foster a positive cycle where economic prosperity leads to peace.
He wrote: “After serving as Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, the highest rung in the nation’s law enforcement hierarchy, I embraced my exit from the police with a new kind of duty: active citizenship. Freed from the daily demands of policing, I have found time to engage more deliberately with the broader realities shaping our country.
“In particular, my home state of Nasarawa has gained my attention more as I keep observing socio-political trends in the state. What I see is not mere happenstance or fleeting progress; it is the outcome of deliberate vision, strategic governance, and a leadership committed to sustainable change.
“Governor Abdullahi Sule is at the forefront of this evolution. A man of quiet determination and focus, Governor Sule has taken the helm with a clear roadmap implementing the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy (NEDS) and steering the state toward a future of inclusive industrial growth and national relevance.
“The NEDS is a comprehensive economic blueprint with measurable goals to position Nasarawa among the top three most competitive states in Nigeria. And although the journey is still unfolding, the results are beginning to resonate.
“One of the most significant developments is that Nasarawa is becoming Nigeria’s lithium hub withglobal demand for lithium surging due to the Electric Vehicle (EV) boom and the energy transition. Nasarawa’s vast deposits have attracted intense interest from investors and policymakers alike.
“On May 10, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commissioned a landmark lithium processing plant in the state, a historic moment that marked Nasarawa’s entry into the league of globally relevant industrial territories.
“A year later, the President returned to Nasarawa to inaugurate an array of infrastructure and industrial projects, legacy initiatives designed to ignite long-term socio-economic change.
“These include roads, industrial parks, power infrastructure, and policy reforms that ease the cost and ease of doing business.
“From my experience as a former IGP, I can tell you that economic development is a powerful crime prevention strategy.
“In Nasarawa, focused initiatives in jobs, skills, and inclusion can reshape incentives, rebuild trust, and create a virtuous cycle where prosperity drives peace.
“Also, using economic prosperity to prevent crime in the state is both strategic and sustainable, as it addresses the underlying root causes of poverty, lack of opportunity, and social exclusion.”
