Nigeria needs to advanced technology, robust foreign intervention to curb insecurity – VC

Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, vice chancellor, University of Ilorin, has called on the United States of America government to support Nigeria with advanced technology, including both software and hardware, to tackle the growing insecurity threatening lives across the country.

Egbewole, a professor of International Law, stated this recently while briefing journalists as part of activities marking the institution’s 50th anniversary.

He noted that collaboration with global powers is a welcome development in the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security challenges. However, he stressed that such partnerships must not compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty.

“It is another thing entirely for the sovereignty of Nigeria to be compromised; that would amount to a violation of international law,” he cautioned.

“I urge the American government to assist the Nigerian government with technology and equipment, both software and hardware, to defeat the monsters that make our lives ‘nasty, brutish and short’, as philosopher Thomas Hobbes would describe the ‘state of nature’ that appears to be our lot at this critical time,” he added

Egbewole warned that any intervention beyond support could lead to what he described as “The Cobra Effect” a situation where well-intended actions backfire and worsen the original problem.

He cited the 19th-century incident during British rule in India, when a policy meant to curb cobra infestation ended up increasing their population.

The vice chancellor urged Nigerians to set aside ethnic, religious and political differences to collectively confront the recurring violence.

“The United States President, Donald Trump, recently threatened to come to Nigeria ‘guns-a-blazing’ in response to what he called ‘Christian genocide’, an allegation strongly denied by the Federal Government, the African Union Commission, and the European Union.

“The Nigerian fault lines of religion, ethnicity and politics are being conflated to obfuscate an existential challenge, and uncertainty pervades the horizon.

“As Nigerians, we need not be liabilities to our country. All hands must be on deck to ensure the success of the Nigerian project. We must say an unequivocal no to all forms of extremism across the fault lines that define us and be good that never rust,” he said.

Reflecting on the institution at 50, Egbewole declared that the University of Ilorin continues to grow in strength despite various challenges, expressing optimism for a brighter future.

According to him, Unilorin’s strategic vision for the next 50 years includes academic stability, innovative thinking, AI-driven knowledge systems, impactful research, enhanced global visibility, a disciplined and well-equipped workforce, a secure campus environment, and a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in teaching, research, and community service.

He added that the university remains committed to producing well-rounded students equipped with essential 21st-century skill sets.