Problems such as inappropriate policing, poor orientation and lack of proactive/preventive measures, have made the Nigeria Police to perform generally below the expected deliverables. Thus, Nigeria’s rank in the world, as presented by the Global Terrorism Index of 2018, reveals a dire need for more action by initiating a purposeful technology-driven policing and workable security strategies in combating terrorists’ deadly activities, as well as other crimes and criminalities.
On another hand, the inability of the federal government through its security apparatus, to overcome insurgency with its available technical know-how, apparently calls for a new approach in the country’s effort at fighting insecurity. An approach that will be founded on credible intelligence gathering, acquisition of modern technology, capacity building, and interagency collaboration.
Just a week ago, twenty-four hours after an attack on Kukoki village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, bandits again sacked three more communities in Rafi Local Government Area on Tuesday evening. It was gathered that the heavily armed bandits which rode motorcycles numbering about 30 and carrying three people each, ransacked the three communities, forcing them to run to Kagara,the headquarters of Rafi Local Government Area.
According to an eye witness account, “As at 6:45pm on Tuesday, an exodus of escapees from the three villages numbering hundreds had opened four camps in Kagara. More worrisome is the fact that these embattled communities are walled round with security presence, yet the Niger State Police Commissioner, Adamu Usman, could say that “the police are reviewing the security architecture of communities in the hinterland because it appears they are prone to this type of security breach.”
Yesterday, the public woke up to yet another heart-wrecking news. This time, bandits sacked 17 villages in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the displaced persons, numbering about 2,000, are taking refuge at LEA Birnin Yero Primary School.
The list is endless. No day passes without an attack on helpless Nigerians in their on land, like a people left alone to rot in their fate. Regrettably, billions of naira are voted on yearly basis for the security of Nigerians, a situation that has not only subjected the populace to fear and trauma, but to economic hardship as people fear daily to go about their legitimate life activities.
The faulty security architecture of the country, has made imperative the need for a technology-driven policing. It will not only enable law-enforcement agencies to be proactive, but will also be quite useful in predicting potential crimes rather than being reactive. It is in the light of this realization, that the recent gesture demonstrated by the United States Of America (USA) to Nigeria is commendable.
The US pledge to always support the Nigerian government in her war against terrorism, became quite visible in her donation of two Mobile Radiation Detection System (vehicles) MDS, with associated equipment, spare parts and maintenance kits to the Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD) of the Nigeria Police. This, the Senior Adviser to the US Department of Energy /National Nuclear Security, Mr Bryceon Shulman, said was done to enhance Nigeria’s Nuclear Security Detection Architecture.
These modern equipment, which will go a long way in assisting the Police in the detection of illegally-acquired improvised explosives, couldn’t have been more timely any other time than now that the nation appears quite exhausted in its approach at curtailing the menace of terrorism, security threat and other dastard acts.
Luckily, Mr Bryceon Shulman said that the US government has sent a team of trainers to train and retrain some EOD officers on ways to handle the equipment, an offer the US has made at no cost. It is hoped that it will offer participants the ability to operate and maintain the MDS and associated hand-held equipment.
As a matter of necessity, participants must see this training as a great privilege to acquire more technical knowledge in radiation detection in line with global best practices. According to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the training will improve the capacity of the police, in conformity with her statutory responsibility for crime prevention and detection.
However, our US partners have demonstrated an enormous concern at Nigeria’s most challenging moment. Her provision of security apparatus, backed up with human resources to impact the knowledge on the modus operandi of the gadgets, is an absolute expression of a willingness to see Nigeria succeed.
It is therefore left with the Nigeria Police to either justify the effort of the US government, or rubbish it. Recall that few years back, Nigeria Police were equipped with some detective security gadgets and close circuit cameras at some designated check points within state capitals to facilitate their work.
How many of those exclusively important gadgets are still functional today, is a question only the police can answer. Insinuations were rife of how disappointed the officers were with the gadgets which presence deprived them of the usual extortive tendency.
But one thing is sure, the gesture is geared towards strengthening our capability to deter, detect and investigate smuggling of nuclear and radioactive sources /materials thereby combating threats associated with nuclear terrorism/crime.
It is only an effective use of these equipment and the subsequent utilization of the knowledge that will be acquired from the important training that can guarantee a total deterrent of people from accessing radioactive material that can be used to perpetrate heinous crimes; and prevent exportation of radioactive materials as scrap metals.
In the light of the need to detect and identify illegally-imported or transported materials at international entry/exit points of the country, deter terrorists and other criminal elements from accessing materials that can be used to perpetrate heinous crimes, and enhance security at major public events against improvised nuclear device, radiological dispersal device, radiological exposure device, and other nuclear security threats, it is important we lay emphasis on maximum utilization of the gadgets donated by the US government.

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi