Can Nigeria Survive Security Challenges?

It is mutual knowledge that Nigeria currently faces some security challenges quite different from what used to be. The spate of bomb blasts, criminalities and suicide  attacks in recent times, which are aimed at prime targets in parts of the federation, are emerging trends of terrorism in the country.

They are rather unsettling for a nation with a multiplicity of other socio-political and economic challenges. Kidnappings, armed robbery and political assassinations are added dimensions to the security crises that are stretching the nation to its limits, sometimes threatening the very fabric of its existence.

Some Nigerians have variously attributed the disconcerting trend to political discontent, ethnic and religious differences, perceived societal neglect and pervasive poverty among the people.

Youth restiveness in the Niger Delta and parts of the South East, occasioned hostage-taking and disruption of oil installations, activities of members of the Odua’s Peoples Congress (OPC) in the South West and the Boko Haram saga in the northern States, have also been worrisome.

Specifically, the bombing by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Nigeria Delta (MEND) of the Warri  venue of a meeting of Niger Delta leaders of thought in March 2010, the bomb blasts at the Eagle Square vicinity of the national celebration of the nation’s 50th Independence Anniversary in Abuja and the current bombings of churches and mosques by the Boko Haram group, are all grim reminders of the   reality of terrorism  in the country.

In Borno State in particular, there has been no let up in the  ferocity   of the campaign by the Boko Haram Islamists  over grievances that seem hard to comprehend rationally. Their campaign extended to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on December 31, 2012, culminating in the bombing of a part of the Mogadishu Army Barracks.   On June 16, the group bombed the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, while UN House was also attacked on August 26. The mass trail of human and physical destructions was mind-bogging and reprehensible to the populace.

Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (Rtd), acknowledged that the nation now faced new security threats that were quite different from what we used to know.

“I will rather say that we are facing new threats different from what we used to face before. But as these threats confront us, we will find solutions to them, it is now a period to look forward and overcome the challenges that face us,” Olubolade said.

Pundits in security matters said that a holistic approach was imperative to check the new security challenges, especially the need for security agencies to synergise and share intelligence, in the bid  to curtail  the out-lash.

In  his reaction, the Commandant – General, National Security  and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Biodun Abodurin, stated that security was everybody’s business, hence no citizen must be apathetic to matters related to enhanced security in the country.

Some Nigerians think the current security challenges, especially terrorism, are not peculiar to the country as they have  become global phenomena, which afflict rich and poor nations, developed and undeveloped economies of the world. This  may explain the readiness of world leaders and international organisations to collaborate on strategies to rid the world of terrorist onslaught now assuming an alarming proportion.

Many nations still readily recall the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11, 2001, where thousands of lives were lost  in a fell swoop. President Goodluck Jonathan had said repeatedly that, Nigeria was willing to co-operate with the international community to tackle the problem of terrorism and related vices.

“One thing is very clear, terrorist attack on any individual or any part of the world is an attack on the rest of the world because terrorists do not care about who is anywhere. We will work with the UN and all of the world leaders to make sure terrorism is brought under control all over the world,” Jonathan assured.

Plateau State has lately  become  the hotbed  of ethnic, religious and political violence with daily reports of killings and maiming of innocent citizens in particular. The situation in Plateau has attained its acme which required the partnership of all security agencies to tackle security challenges in that part of the country.

However, observers have  remained skeptical about government’s ability to secure the nation and protect Nigerians from the ceaseless terror attacks. They cite instances where promises by the government to cope with the challenges had been accompanied by repeated attacks.

A Port Harcourt- based publisher and journalist, Mr Owuje Harry, said that ensuring national security was a collective responsibility, which must involve governments at all levels as well as the ordinary citizens. He stressed the imperative for increased inter-service co-operation in addressing the challenges and that new strategies must be evolved in order to cope with present dynamics.

“It is definite that the group that call themselves Boko Haram or other names receive training and possibly funding from some foreign elements and this is evident from the type of weapon that are captured from them. The communication equipment captured from them and the expertise they have displayed in the preparation of improvised explosives are pointers to the fact that there is foreign involvement in the spate of terrorist attacks going on in Nigeria,” Harry asserted.

A retired naval officer, Beke Johnson, berated the low numerical strength of the police as well as their exposure to modern crime fighting techniques. He said the country would need more than 700,000 police officers to adequately confront the security challenges facing Nigeria.

Johnson said that shortage of personnel and inadequate equipment were the major constraints militating against effective policing in the country. According to him, Nigeria, with an estimated population of 160 million people, was policed by only 370,000 policemen.

“This unfortunately translates into one policeman to as many as 432 people. For effective policing , the  nation needs at least 700 police personnel  for a start,” Johnson said.

He urged governments at all tiers to invest heavily  in security and creation of jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the country, if the nation must survive the current challenges.

The times are no doubt challenging, while hopes appear dim. Can Nigeria ride over this storm in its history?

Arnold Alalibo