Security For The Country: Nigeria

Nigeria's since Independence from Britain in 1960 her present prevailing situation should lend impetus to strategic thinking about a sincere vision for a national security policy.

The urgency to do so is two-way; first , the contemporary understanding of a security within the context of a nation-state has broadened from one centered on territorial sovereignty and therefore, Military and political prowess, to one encompassing a holistic vision.

The latter enables adddressing both, factors dependent as well as human security,economic security, environmental security, health security,demographic security and food security assume importance in this respect.secondly,because.

A study since 60's shows that some key solutions which had the potential of securing sustainable economic security for the nation have not been effectively deployed.Ensuring economic security is the key to maintaining security systems and ensuring peoples welfare.

Nigeria,Africa's most populous nation debt burden,is share in open were it proceed of oil the mainstay of the nation economy is pocketed by few who represent the forces of darkness at the saddle of power in Abuja thereby hindered development project in vital area.

The energy crisis over the years has remained unresolved and has become a subject of political point scoring; as a result the energy crisis has become deeply wosenly in endemic corruption. The Nigeria's energy shortfall in the context of the estimated mega-watt potential by the powerholding company of Nigeria is a sheer reminder of institutional and political impediments which have played to the detriment of needed investments in infrastructure vital for ensuring energy security.The powerhouse of economic development and a perequisite for ensuring economy security.

Corruption and ethnicity in Nigeria are inseparable twins; therefore, provides very fertile ground and the realisation that Nigeria's fiscal equation over the years had been hit by an external factor in a globalised world. such as the international oil cartel ''prices'' and led to financial downturn for the masses.

Overtime, lack of consistency in policy direction, the internal security environment, and the Niger Delta nationalist struggle and the acute power shortage nation wide are leading to under-performing industrial and business sectors, thereby had led to closure of industrial estates, employments loss and departure of foreign investments as consequence.These precedent do-not auger well for ensuring economic security. In addition corruption and lack of good governance are leading this country once tag giant of Africa continent towards insecurity.

With the degredation of the environment by the exploration and expliotations by the multi-national corporation has cause havoc diseases; this led to huge health security and has become a genuine cause of concern for the people of the Niger Delta Region- something the disable public health system has limited to cope with.

These prevailing security concerns are all internal security threats to the nationhood, Nigeria's recent unique pattern of conflict, ethnic cleasing and the religious expansionist policy have paved the way for unprecedented violence and local terrorism by the feudal.

These threats are being compounded by two factors, first economic hardship and two, the rapidly growing teaming improverished population which is vulnerable to exploitation by the politician due to result of poor governance.

It is infuriating to read stories of the terrorist everyday on the national dailies cold-blooded aggressor agenda against innocent citizen. Boko Haram, an acronym in Arabic for; No to Western Education, The Northern based Islamic Resistance movement is political group that gave birth to destabilise the Nigerian government led by President Jonathan.

The movements are leaderless and faceless. No individual can claim to speak for the bandit. No responsible government negotiate with faceless group.

For decades Nigeria was ruled by Northern dominated government and it was only 2011 when a minority from the Oil –rich Niger Delta Region; Goodluck Jonathan wins presidential elections.

Book Haram has little to offer beyond it's jihadist credentials expansionist policy.

I'm sad to admit that there seems to be no difference in the operations of the Nigeria's militant islamist group Boko Haram and it breakaway factional new cell called Ansaru means Vanguards for the protection of muslims in Black Africa and linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).It's evil tactic was suicide bombing, which it used repeatedly to derail attempts to resolve the conflict except language of violence. Many believe the militant movement is out there to killed or impossible to defeat.

Security is paramount for the survival of any nation and its citizen. The recent link of plot been hatched by Iran's is worrisome. The Islamic Republic of Iran has embraced terrorism from the moment of its creation in 1979 by the late Cleric Ayatollah and non-moslems have often been the victims; but Iran denied involvement.

As a patriotic citizen of Nigeria, it's our utmost duty to ensure that security; the prevention of and protection of life and properties does not a sole- responsible of the government , but is a general collective responsible of the Masses.

This for the past years, Jos coal city and once peaceful Niger Delta Region is such a hotbed of trouble today.High employment rate, austerity pressure, escalating tarriffs and lack of social security opportunities are every day pushed the poor electorates, the masses and the even former middle-class people to unprecendented levels of economic management.With the lack of rule of law to dispense justice at the level of subordinate judiciary,people nationwide are out on the streeet and taking law enforcement in their own hands in the name of ethnic movements to provide justice.

This ethnic groups are the perfect breeding ground for ingraining extremist ideologies a situation the extremist elements in the society are exploiting the opportunity to the core with a huge population increase and failure to ensure demographic security as a result therefore, the amount of these internal security threats with steady increase, overtime and will continue to challenge the might of the state and terrorise and demonise its own populace.

These catastrope, incessant mayhem has not developed overnight; strategic mistakes of several governments since post-independence era are manifesting to what prevails today.Although weak governance at all level of sphere of the people, limited accountability,unending corruption, ethnicity, lack of democracy in previous years can all be blamed for these trend, and one of the evils, also is particularly with respect to economic and human security,is the lack of policy consistency and absence of an accountability approach to monitor how policies are followed through.

These is more damaging than in areas which are of vital security interest to the country. For a developing nation like Nigeria, the lack of policy continuity can be most damaging.continuity of policy directive has been the key factor of the growth, development and prosperity that many countries in sub-saharan Africa experience,weakness in their democratic credentials not withstanding.

In Nigeria's 53 years of history except during the nationalist struggle against the imperialist and the then Apartheid government in South Africa of our genuine focus foreign policy there has been no consistency of Geopliticalstrategists policy direction.

Governments have adopted policies; subsequent governments have disregard them retracted to suit their selfish interest not national interest of existing one. In such an environment, strategic important decisions are held hostage to political point scoring like the former's so-called cabals in the Nigeria's seat of power. No more custodians of state interest in the decision making hierarchy who want the pendulum of decision making to swing in the favour of personal security interest.

Within the prevailing evil context of this policies and politically expedient decision are maximum threats to the nation.

Finally, Why destroyed our Nation, Government should not hesitate to ensuring Security, Energy, food security,ensure justice,resource control, sovereign national conference, stop ethnic soldiers and credible leadership at all level, for entire stability of our beloved country.

JINBOBARAYE KARIBO-NELSON,JP, SIPM,FECRM
A Social commentator and Security analyst, Senior member Institute of Public Management Nigeria and Full Member Emergency, Crisis and Risk Management Institute of Nigeria.

This Article was previously published on 1 May, 2010 and sent in from OguTown, RiversState, NigeriaVia: www. Karibonelson.com