Searching for patrols on Nigeria highways? The
Nigerian Army is now a common sight! And they most times do so under diverse
nomenclatures, such as JTF (Joint Task Force), STF (Special Task Force) and
other Operational moniker labels most times with Mobile Police Units. While this may
seem plausible in our contemporary world where Armies are now being trained to
fight a new style of warfare in urban settings, a critical look into the
Nigerian security situation shows that of adverse degradation setting into
irredeemable heights by conventional security means!
 |
| An Army check point along Rabah road,Kaduna Source: http://news.naij.com/5986.html READ MORE: http:/ |
By tradition, the Police Force and its allied
intelligence service is tasked with maintaining internal security, whilst the
Army sets its sight at wading off external aggression of all sorts. Between
these two forces are several governmental agencies whose activities helps keep
the society sane; such as the Customs and border agencies. Whilst these forces
are independent standalone agencies, their activities are to work in tandem,
ensuring concomitant actions against any threat to the Country’s stability from
internal and external sources.
The Nigerian scenario sets a different tune with many
gaping loopholes of which is now being exploited by several security assailants
such as armed robbers, kidnappers, marauders and ethno-religious militants.
Most recently the issue of ethno-religious militancy (sporadic incidents confined
to Northern Nigeria) has degenerated into a sustained guerrilla insurgency both in the North as Boko Haram
and in the South as factional agitated armed groups (though both scenarios have
different ideological motives). Whatever the nomenclature assigned to these
security assailants, the fact remains that gaping holes in the security apparatus
have been exploited to plunder by these bandits.
PATHS TO
DECLINE
During the first republic (1960-1966), the Country
operated a semi autonomous regional style of government. Each region wielded
considerable control over governance administration and instruments of
governance and they had their own police forces. Neglecting the inadequacies of
that period to the excuse of the fact the Nation was just fresh from
independence; the security modus operandi was much better than what obtains
today.
Then came the Military governments and civil war! One
of the resultants of the civil war aftermath was that automated weaponry fell
into wrong hands and armed robberies became rampant such as was not experienced
during the pre-civil war era. Aside this, the advent of the Military into the
Nigerian Political cosmos changed the modus operandi of governance. The four
regions was divided into variegated ‘states’ and most (if not all) instruments of governance
was vested on a strengthen Central (Federal) Government. One of such was
Policing which was now put under Federal control.
With peculiar divides along religious and cultural
lines, security assailants (aside armed robbers) tend to exploit cracks along
the National fabric to foment trouble, and such was made manifest in several
ethno religious riots in cities above the Niger River. The Kano
riots, Kaduna
riots, Jos
riots being major examples aside the Maitatsine
revolt of the 1980’s.
Another disturbing trend peering through the gaping
hole of the Nigerian internal security apparatus is the lack of respect for the
men of the police force. Over time, the Nigeria Police force has been beset by
unwholesome corrupt practices which have made it loose credence in the sight of
the populace. As such, not even the mention or threat of the Police commands
any form of respect or instill fear among ordinary civilians not to talk of
Security assailants---robbers, thieves, looters, rioters…name them!
BRIDGING
THE SECURITY LOOPS
Over the years, experience and evidence has shown that
the Federal administered Police force is incapable of effectively policing the
country due to the following:
*
Inadequate personel: Comprising of about 370,000
men, the Nigeria Police Force is expected to guarantee the security of over
160,000,000 citizens. This ratios 1Police man to about 400 Citizens!. Worst
still, a considerable number of Police men are assigned as Security details to
Politicians and their aides. This cumulatively leaves about 200,000 Policemen
to the entire civilian citizenry. Thus effectively leave 1 policeman to 800
civilians! Nigeria is under policed. To police a nation as large as Nigeria,
the Police force has to be at least a million man strong!
*
Lack of Local Government Control: In the spirit of Unitary Federalism, Past Military
Governments removed the Police from local to Federal control. As such, members
of the Nigeria Police force can be drafted to serve in part of the country.
Experience has shown that there is a need for indigent county Policing as
respective Nigerian State Governors are acknowledged as ‘Chief Security
Officers’ of their domain. They are however handicapped in carrying out this
function as all security apparatus are Federally administered. One then wonders
why these governors are handed monthly security allowances called ‘security
votes’ when they do not actually control the police force in their respective
states.
*
Coordinated Collaboration of Security agencies: Another awkward trend within Nigeria’s security
apparatus is the lack of collaboration among the security forces. Rather, it is
no strange news to hear of some ranks of the
Army fighting the Police, Police fighting the Customs, Navy fighting the
Police and so on. This usually occurs when law enforcers become law breakers
and in a bid to cover up misdeeds, members of the force to which the offender
belongs calls for mobilization from comrades to fight the law enforcing
authority. This trend clearly shows a lack of collaborative intelligence among
the forces because if it does exist, such would never happen.
In modern crime and warfare combat, all forces work as
one body and must share intelligence to achieve any tangible success. But when
the Army sees the police as an incompetent rival then gaping holes abound
within the security apparatus
*
LACK of National data base: Despite huge budgetary allocations to security
issues, it’s saddening that the Nigerian Government is not as a matter of
urgency accelerating the collation and establishment a National Data base of
all citizens. At a time when all that pertains to humanity is now digitized,
Nigeria’s records has to go digital. This will go a long way in tracking
security assailants especially with the advent of DNA, facial, speech and
finger print technology. Sadly, there is no sign that the Police Force is
prepared for this task. A day to day interaction with the majority foot
soldiers of the police force shows that of a derelict knowledge and grasp of
modern day technological trends. Some do not even know how to operate computers
let alone surf the internet. If this is the prevalent trend, how can the Police
effectively fight modern day crime when it has shifted from life action to
cyber action?
*
Poor Policing equipment: Derelict police vehicles are a common sight on
Nigerian roads and High way road blocks. Most police posts especially those
outside major cities are just sham buildings. Little wonder they provide soft
targets for upcoming security assailants. The policing strategy is not up to
date with modern day realities. Lacking CCTV’s and high caliber intelligence
equipments, the Police results to gun totting and bullying to assert their
authority over the civilian populace.
 |
| Police-Station-in-Igangan-Osun-State-Nigeria Source:http://www.indepthnigeria.com/headlines/nigeria-police-stations-a-dpo-shocking-confession-on-what-goes-on-behind-the-scene/ |
 |
| Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/breaking-news-20-feared-dead-as-gunmen-sacks-police-station-prison-in-adamawa/ |
*
Porous influx of light and heavy firearms: It’s no news that Nigeria has very porous borders.
However, most disheartening is the influx of firearms of different sorts some
of which evade the border patrols. Aside the threat of guns, security
assailants can now handle fire light mortar shells—a non-conventional domestic
weapon fit for warfare. Wherever these are sourced from (either from illegal
importation or from armory theft), the trend doesn’t portend a sound combat
fortune for the Police force!
 |
| A typical BOKO HARAM militancy photoshot. Note the RPGs |
 |
| A typical Niger Delta Militancy Photoshot.. Note the sophisticated assault weaponry |
For all apparent reasons, the Federal Government
should hands off policing for local authorities whilst it does maintain a
National police or ‘super paramilitary force’ (National Guard) for special
tasks defying conventional policing tactics. Maybe the current National Civil
Defence Force could be upgraded to this. This will relieve the military of
civil peace keeping duities.
The current security realities do not pose a good
trend for the Nigerian Society. The apparent impotence of the Police force to
nip the security challenges in the bud shows an endemic failure in of the
Country’s security stratagem.
Most shambolic is the deployment of the Armed forces
to douse security tensions. It must be noted that the Army was never trained to
mingle and keep peace with civilians. Their duty is to make peace by killing.
Although the trend of modern day warfare due to guerilla insurgent tactics
requires the army acquainting themselves with Urban warfare, for the Army to
now be customarily called upon to maintain day to day security and man check
points show a great decadence in the National Policing apparatus. As such,
these inadequacies are readily deployed against the Police as seen in bank and
domestic robberies, ethno-religious riots, Kidnappings, Marauding, Militancy
and Insurgency.
 |
| Operation Flush! Source: http://www.ynaija.com/win-n260m-promo-jtf-releases-lists-of-most-wanted-boko-haram-leaders-offers-n290-million-reward-for-information/ |
This magnifies the situation in the North East
especially Borno State where all governmental efforts to nip the insurgency are
proving abortive despite a state of emergency; denoting more security errors
than the apparent and obvious.
Until wholelistic measures are taken to
reposition the collaborative efforts of the National internal and external
security apparatus, robbers, rioters, miscreants and insurgents will continue
to have a swell time plundering the peace and tranquility of the Nigerian
society.
