UNVEILING THE SECURITY ARCHITECTURE AND DAUNTING CHALLENGES IN ALL THE GEOPOLITICAL ZONES OF NIGERIA AND PROFFER WORKING SOLUTIONS TOWARD A PEACEFUL SUSTAINABLE AND INDIVISIBLE NIGERIA
Sometimes, it takes a bright mind and optimistic logic to see the opportunities of greatness that reside in this country parallel to the daily deafening news of violence and void, of daunting challenges in various parts of the nation. Like almost, the media would call the bad one news and the lovely ones current affairs. We are almost confused at the function of the media for any happenings thinking it is theirs to choose what happens. Anyways, my fact is enough for me to believe that we are more than twice blessed as the challenges facing us, and we can choose which side to see. As Bill Clinton rightly said, we can cure everything that is wrong about our nation with what is right.
Nigeria as a nation of 6 geopolitical zones featuring 3 each to the two protectorates that made it up, i.e the South and the North, has been facing several security threats, civil unrest and other challenges like tribal grief, political issues, economic depressions and infrastructural demand. These and others are not just the need for growth but also demanding to save the crumble of a true democratic state and mind rest of the indigenous people of Nigeria. NOI-polls gathered that 65% of Nigerians claim that the country is not secure. At a time like this, the insecurity and the daunting challenges are not just a blow to national peace but also a threat to national unity, the two great values invoked with the last line of our National Anthem.
A good author, rather an active citizen, is not the one that identifies problems all around and fails to design pragmatic solutions to them. A pragmatic solution doesn’t just say what to do, but where to go from there. An action framework that leads to a nation of peace, a united nation for such, irrespective of the differences in our preferences and challenges and we can sustain such attainment of a successful solution for as long as eternity. Owing to the structure of this essay, I may often have to make recommendations at the instances that I identify the challenges.
Usually, we hear happenings in various geopolitical zones and stay agape of the shocking story of individual misfortune. Boko-Haram and sprouts of Terrorism hitting the North-East, Banditry and Kidnapping for Ransom dominating in North Central, Kidnapping and Secession thrive in the Southwest and the South-South. Unarguably, each part of the country is faced with their respective boil and turmoil that poses a query to our security architecture and situational management.
National Security Architecture includes the management, decision-making and oversight structures and institutions, as well as national policies, strategies and plans put in place to ensure the safety of people, property and integrity of state. It is the primary role of government administration as enshrined in the Nigerian National Constitution. Looking after the over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, the essential elements of security will include protection of their lives and properties, detection of dangers and threats from within and outside the state through verification of innocent citizens and crucifixion of actual criminals, and importantly is a prompt and equal reaction to conditions surrounding this. For the sake of ourselves as citizens, it is also demanding on us to support the government in vigilante ways and policy-friendly manner as may be requested for security.
Over time, matters of insecurity have brought serious questioning on our national security and have caused individuals, state governments and geopolitical zones to start the innovations of regional policing and personal security. Such matters include the issue of Niger Delta Militant which seems to have been extradited, Human and Drug trafficking which nowadays triggers lesser attention except non-governmental organisations that only focus on it, Boundary Fight amidst towns and villages as a burden on the involved state governments, the ISWAP and the Boko Haram terrorism which has become a thorn in the nation’s neck with each day new development, Kidnapping for ransom as a business, Banditry as an order, the Shiite challenge, youth-led agitations especially #EndSars, call for Oodua republic, for Biafra republic amidst others. Undoubtedly, we have critical challenges and we need a security architecture that withstands storms, where do we go from here?
Expositorily, national security is an affair managed by the federal government through the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defense Staff and the Inspector General of Police with directors and commissioners directly reporting to them in various states and areas as may be necessary. The constitutional fact that Security is a federal assignment has been an oft repeating exculpation by state governors and public officials when security imbalance they couldn’t curb is going on in their constituency. This challenge is enough reason why individuals started coming up with community policing groups and regional security like the vigilante group, the Operation Amotekun in the Southwest, Operation Ogbunigwe in the Southeast and Hisbah in the North. Some are active, semi-functional and some are inactive but the concern of many citizens is yet to be met.
Historically, the tales about the days of regional governance often sound cool in the ears of the younger generation which gives the insight to recommend a restructuring in the nation’s security architecture to ensure adequate decentralisation and work with the guidance and aim of the state governors and Local Government Chairmen. The traditional rulers are essential to community policing because they are conceived to be closer to their community and more familiar with the indigenous people of such communities. I refer to the issue of #EndSars mass protest that distorted the nation where youths of the southern region especially were involved but the other region were hand-folded. What seems to be unfair may also be fair enough, the side you view from and the experience you witnessed will determine the assessment you give to it. Every region of the state has their peculiar challenge that needs to be solved with specificity.
Also, it is high time individuals developed a sense of responsibility for their immediate community. Nigeria will not be at your fingertip, but you will always have your community, your house and your neighbour’s home to look after. Individuals should notice people around them and be accountable for the planet and its prosperity. My grandmother often says that the houses of God are sacred because some people are always cleaning them. Community Policing; Be your Neighbour’s Keeper; WhistleBlower; Active Citizenship- either said on pulpit or military, they are all terms to show that we have a responsibility to fulfil as individuals. I recommend that the government of the state should start motivating through recognition and awards for unceremonious people committed to doing petty humanitarian and community service. When everyone realizes that they are stakeholders in the nation, they tend to be more accountable.
Similarly, I borrow from the belief of the 44th US President, Barack Obama, that those who attack the country’s flaws without acknowledging the singular greatness of our ideals, and their proven capacity to inspire a better world, do not truly understand the country. It is not a misfortune to have a nation of diverse ethnicities and types of people, it is in fact an expression of abundant resources, skills and innovation. Traditionally, a marriage isn’t made because the couple are siblings, but because they are a match made from different backgrounds. We are a nation blessed with resources -such as oil palm in the east, cocoa in the west, peanut in the north for agriculture, mineral resources like crude oil, gold, iron ore etc- and with talented men that drive not just our nation, but make a global impact. A secession plan will only threaten collective success and birth mutually equivalent redundancy in each of the daughter Nigeria. However, such calls should be given adequate attention and treated with a mutual reorientation, preferably a sustainable negotiation that brings about development and inclusiveness of people in the nation’s growth. Crisis management is critical to successful and long-lasting governance.
In line with this, relevant cognizance in terms of laws and policy should be given to the distribution of capital resources. Oftentimes, unsatisfactory people from resources distribution are the perpetrators of threat and monger of national division, therefore it becomes relevant to give an enactment that gives the justifiable rationale of capital resource distribution and everybody can have a balanced platform of competing for opportunities. Without patronizing any philosophy, I refer to Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1966 that only a truly federal constitution can unite Nigeria and generate harmony amongst its diverse racial and linguistic people. Our hearts too must be ruled by unconquerable goodwill and irrepressible earnestness for Nigeria’s continued oneness.
Although, I believe that no nation can truly have the security of all parastatals but there is a minimum level that should not be compromised, else the sector fails. Earlier this year, along with the globe, we battled coronavirus disease. Earlier before that, we faced Lassa Fever, Ebola virus and a few other ones including HIV, polio, individually as a nation (epidemic) or globally (pandemic). We give our kick and yield to our toes, but we weren’t the best at curtailing a number of these. Health remains a challenge, and unfortunately, whenever it wages its war it never gives us enough chances to shop for medical wares. As a nation, we need to fortify our health sector with equipment of the century and training on the new ways of clinics. If we want prosperity, we must care about the people. Nobody gets sick because of their tribe, but because human beings are generally vulnerable to pathogens.
Education is twilight in our generation. The more of it we give, the more we save for our future. I believe that No sustainable solution can ever be created unless the right orientation is passed across and on. It was told of a state where a screening exam was held for the teaching staff and about average failed out. If we truly cherish our values and the vision we behold, then we must give priority to education. It is unfortunate yet we have a time when the government gives low attention to educational facilities. Our school structure needs to be revisited because I believe it’s only through these facilities that we produce the agents that will solve the nation’s critical plague. Secondary subjects like Civic Education and Social studies are in existence but how much have they done to instill the needs of our society into the students. Be reminded, the students are our archers and knights that will carry on the values of our society, they are the engineers that will mould the structure of our peace and unity, they are the clinicians that will cure us of the daunting challenges we face. They are the product we are baking for our consumption as citizens.
A lot more to consider, including training and retraining of security staff, step-up of the judiciary system, employment and economic empowerment through businesses and partnership, friendly atmosphere for innovation design and welfare of the people. The people will dwell together for as long as eternity as long as they enjoy the safety and comfort of their dormitory. When we all come together with an open mind for betterment, we can all make the best of our challenges into opportunities that grow forever. The dawn is not far, only if we chose to envision and lighten a brighter morrow.
