As part of its contribution to curb the rising insurgency and general insecurity in the country, the House of Representatives has listed some far-reaching measures for President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the menace. The recommendations, 19 in all, were made by the Special Committee on National Security, which was constituted following a summit by the House on insecurity, in June.
The House, among others, urged the President to consider the use of private defence contractors for targeted security operations, especially to combat insurgency and terrorism. It also recommended a special training for 40,000 mobile police officers to improve their capacity to combat insecurity. It enjoined the Federal Government to deploy early warning systems nationwide, including installation of CCTV cameras and other surveillance equipment along major highways, public places, and major cities and the borders.
The lawmakers equally called for the creation of local security committees in all the 774 local government areas to be managed by the Nigerian Police Force as part of its community policing mandate. The committees should include traditional rulers, religious institutions, and local opinion leaders.
They further urged the Federal Government to create a new team under the Nigeria Police Force to train and work with the Forest Guards who will remain under the control of state governments.
The recommendations are apt considering the general insecurity in the country and the need to curb its further spread. We hope that the government is aware of a recent United Nations (UN) report, which linked the 12-year-old insurgency in the North East with deaths of some 324,000 children under five, mostly from disease and hunger. It also predicted that the casualty rate in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe might hit 1.1 million in 2030 if the crisis continues.
Within the same period, more than 1.8 million Nigerians were displaced in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno, with Borno mostly bearing the brunt of the war. The war led to the destruction of many schools and even forced them to close. The insurgency has further exacerbated the incessant farmers/herders clashes in the North Central and Southern states. Elsewhere in the country, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements have made life uncomfortable for the citizens.
Since the insurgents are becoming more daring with each passing day, the security agencies must step up the game with new operational strategies. Consequently, some notable Nigerians have called on the government to get foreign assistance and even mercenaries in the execution of the war. We recall that the governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had, on different occasions, advised the government to engage foreigners with technical expertise to lead the battle against the terrorists.
The government should listen to them and do whatever is within its powers to rein in the general insecurity in the country. There is no doubt that our security personnel might have been overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenge. To augment their efforts, it would not be a bad idea to engage foreigners with technical know-how and experience on targeted operations against the insurgents, so long as it does not undermine our sovereignty. The government can also engage the services of retired service personnel in the war against the insurgents, bandits and terrorists.
Soldiers and other security operatives engaged in the war against the insurgents must be adequately motivated and equipped. There is need for intelligence gathering and sharing among security agencies in the country.
It is generally believed that the proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition is one of the triggers of the nation’s insecurity. Let government map out measures to ensure adequate security of all our borders, especially the porous land borders. The law enforcement agencies should also be encouraged to arrest and prosecute any person associated with the circulation of illegal arms in the country.
Tackling poverty through massive job creation is also a fundamental step in addressing insurgency and general insecurity in the land. Educating and engaging the youths productively will steer them away from the path of crime and other vices. Besides, government must not gloss over the strident calls by eminent Nigerians for the creation of state police as a way to tackle the general insecurity across the country.