‘Terrorism in Nigeria is linked to a number of factors which include political conflict, unbalanced development that involves inequalities, religious/ethnic distrust, poor governance linked to leadership failure and high level of failure.’
Siaka MOMOH
Security experts gathered on Thursday last week at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, to proffer solutions to the hydra-headed challenge of insecurity in the country.
The gathering which was at the instance of the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce (NSACC), had Rear Admiral Leye Jaiyeola (rtd) as presenter of the keynote paper.
He specifically listed the following, among other factors, as responsible for the unending horrendous problem of insecurity: loss of socio-cultural and community value system, porous borders, extreme inequality cum poverty, government failure to deliver public good and asked for, among a litany of other recommendations, the rejigging of the national security architecture.
The admiral asked for this and others like enthronement of good governance with comprehensive restructuring, transparency in government particularly in financial dealings, promote international cooperation and collaboration with strategic partners, promote teaching of good morals by clerics, employ multi-stakeholders’ approach in addressing our numerous security challenges.
Speaking on how insecurity affect the economy of the nation he said: “It discourages potential domestic and international investors, destruction of critical infrastrutures, human resource decimation through hostage-taking, etc.”
Nigeria, according to him, has lost more than 80, 000 lives in the Northern region since 2009 to the insurgency of Boko Haram which has been ravaging the Northern region of the country. He added: “Terrorism is a global phenomenon ravaging the whole world. And in what has been aptly defined as the premeditated use of violence by individuals or group to cause fear, destruction or death, especially among unarmed targets, property or infrastructure in a state intended to compel those in authority to respond to the demands and expectations of individuals or group.”
He drew attention to the fact that a lot of trading by sea takes place between Nigeria and South Africa. He therefore advised that the two countries should be concerned about checking the menace of piracy and sea robbery on the sea route where such trading takes place.
He said the Nigerian Navy was established to tackle piracy and sea robbery, illegal refinery and illegal fishing and that the Navy “has recorded successes in respect of these challenges”.
The admiral cited the case of Operation Delta Sanity. The arrest of over 23 vehicles, seizure of over N100 billion worth of goods. Said he: “Resources in the hands of criminals should be used in the development of the economy.”
The Lagos Deputy Commissioner of Police, Khan Salihu, who represented the Commissioner of Police Lagos State, argued the “best security is that which you give to yourself”.
For him, “a hungry man is an angry man”. Poverty in the land for him, therefore, is cause of crime and insecurity.
Nigeria is grappling with continuous rising incidences of insecurity, repeated pattern of attacks on individuals and agitations from ethic cleavages. The indicators of the prevailing insecurity cases in Nigeria include armed robbery, kidnapping of innocent citizens, humans trafficking, religious motivated killings, inter-tribal or communal wars, terrorism, nefarious activities of gangster/cultist, insurgence and banditry.
Nigeria’s North west is presently suffering deadly conflict involving many armed organizations, including herder-allied groups, criminal gangs and jihadists. Thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced with many fleeing into neighbouring countries.
