SUCCESS NWOGU writes that Nigerians are of the view that there is more to be done beyond the declaration of a state of emergency, to really restore law and order to the country
The quest to address insecurity in some parts of the country and restore law and order has been a major topic of national discourse in recent times. Although President Goodluck Jonathan, penultimate Tuesday, declared a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, some security and legal experts are of the opinion that more comprehensive and holistic strategies are necessary to effectively and efficiently address insurgency, terrorism and other violent crimes in the country.
Since the declaration of the state of emergency, military operations have been going on to apprehend the insurgents in the affected states. Also, many civilians have been fleeing the 'war zones' for their safety while reports are rife that Boko Haram members have fled to neighbouring states, where it is feared that they may initiate another round of attacks.
Jonathan had, while declaring the state of emergency, lamented that terrorists had pursued the fanatical agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism. He said some northern parts of Borno State had been taken over by insurgents, who seemed determined to establish control and authority over parts of the nation and to progressively overwhelm the rest of the country.
He noted that the Federal Government had previously adopted persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected state, but that had failed to solve the problem.
But a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, opined that more measures should be taken to address the security problem.
Also, an ex-Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie; a pioneer Director of the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime, Kampala, Uganda, Prof. Femi Odekunle; and Chairman, Anti-Corruption Commission, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Yusuf Ali, at a conference on 'National Security and Development in Contemporary Nigeria,' organised by the Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, proffered other solutions to the nation's insecurity.
Akanbi said it was imperative for the root cause of the insecurity and insurgency to be identified and addressed.
The former jurist, who was the founding first chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, said good governance and democratic values are imperative for Nigeria's security.
According to him, it is important to look at the political and social environment of the country while leaders must pursue policies and programmes that will make the people's lives better.
"Nigerians want to see an end to this violence. We want to see an end to instability. We want to be sure that security is ensured in this country. As far as I am concerned, I do not want to say the state of emergency will fail, but I also do not want to give the assurance that it will solve the problem.
"We need to find out the cause of insecurity and indiscipline. I do not honestly believe that efforts have been made to get to the root cause of the matter. When you get to the root, then you can uproot what is happening. Some people have said that unemployment, poverty, lack of empowerment of the people. I think all these are symptoms. It is not enough to use military force on insurgents, we should find the root cause of the problem," Akanbi said.
Coomassie said the national security challenges should not be seen in isolation but should be better appreciated within the wider context of transnational threats posed by the global terrorist network.
He stated that the primary responsibility of any serious government in any society is the maintenance of law and order with a view to creating an atmosphere conducive for socio-political and economic development.
He stated that the nexus between security and development had made the goal of entrenching and maintaining law and order a major challenge of most governments across the globe.
According to him, even in the so-called mature democracies, threats to national security have always been such a daunting task that must be confronted and surmounted with decisive strategies and policy formulations.
He observed that bomb explosions and sporadic gunshots had continued to endanger the polity and threaten the corporate existence of Nigeria. He added that communal clashes, tribal hostilities, kidnapping, religious bigotry and post-election violence had stagnated and retarded socio-economic activities and developmental process in the country.
He said, "In addition, structural violence, which is expressed in social deprivation, social inequality, high level poverty arising from unemployment and mass illiteracy and ignorance, constitute debilitating conditions that pose a serious threat to security and development.
"Consequently, suffering, heartache, instability and disunity are inevitable corollaries resulting from violence and a state of insecurity. Amid this welter of social maladies, we should, as a people with diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds but united under a common destiny and vision, passionately embrace the path of enthroning an enduring framework that will entrench peace, stability, progress, development and advancement."
Odekunle, who was the chairman, Advisory Committee to a former Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya, on Socio-Political and Economic Matters, stated that Nigeria needed a focused national leadership with strong hands and strength of character.
He noted that corruption had inhibited Nigeria's development more than the civil war, all the armed robberies and other crimes within the past decades.
He stated that there should be a deliberate alteration of the development ethos and development strategy so that a collective interest will be allowed to predominate over individual interests.
According to him, these ethos and strategies should be allowed to be reflected in Nigeria's economy, politics, official relations as well as in its laws and security measures.
Odekunle, who currently teaches Criminology and Sociology in the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Abuja, said Nigeria was growing without development.
"On the political level, the circulation of the elite and their acolytes has become the order of the day; the concept of democracy has become, in practice, government of the greedy, by the greedy, for the greedy. Governance has become oligarchic and corruption-ridden – with contents of the National Anthem and pledge being turned into mere nominal mouthing.
"The electoral process itself has become usually tainted with observable manipulations and, in some cases, heart-rending violence with able-bodied youths 'employed' as armed thugs – the post-election violence of 2011 being a most calamitous instance," he said.
Odekunle noted that socially, for a substantial proportion of Nigeria's population, existence has become atomistic or individualistic. He added that there had emerged an alienated generation of youths (except those who have sought refuse in religion) relative to desirable values and norms of conduct.
He said certain social vices had become more noticeable. Such vices, he noted included prostitution in urban centres, drug use/abuse and associated ailments, direct and indirect child-abuse, child/female trafficking, sufferance of family and community values, general indiscipline/absence of law-abidingness, communal strife, violent disorders and ethno-religious conflicts. He stated that all these anomalies are symptoms of social disorganisation.
To address the insecurity and developmental challenges, Odekunle there should be a change from a 'low-and-order' or paramilitary conception of security to a more social-scientific/realistic conception of the matter.
He also said that there should be a change from a narrow government-of-the-day perception of security to one that focuses on the average citizen.
"There should be restructuring of the substantive criminal laws and procedures for their administration, police and security agencies, courts and criminal justice administration and institute appropriate offender-correction in an integrated and coordinated fashion relative to the country's desired objectives of optimum security.
"There is the need for certain punishment for corruption, with less cumbersome/technical procedures that provide loopholes for the escape of such criminals. Nigeria Police Force should engage in routine and systemic policing and less of protection of political/public officials with riot policemen.
"The State Security Service should intensify its current disposition towards gathering 'actionable intelligence' and dwell less on its 'baby-sitting' of politicians/government officials. There should also be a re-orientation towards less of technical justice and more of substance and victim justice," Odekunle said.
Ali said corruption was the major developmental problem of the country. He added that the socio-economic and insecurity problems of the country had their roots in corruption, unemployment and poverty.
"If we remove corruption, 80 per cent of our national problems will go," he said.
He urged policy makers to be realistic, practical and pragmatic in their approach to policy making.
He stated that for Nigeria to be respected within the global community of nations, Nigerians must enjoy enduring peace, security and stability.
"There should be development policies that are not just lifted from developed nations, but are actually tailored to meet the real needs of the people. Critical steps must be taken on economic empowerment, including a special focus on youth employment and education. The current army of unemployed youths and others, who cannot find places in our tertiary institutions is a recipe for insecurity," he said.
Vice-President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Issa Aremu, said more emphasis should be on intelligence and crime prevention.
Aremu urged Jonathan to caution some of his aides and people around him to stop making inflammatory utterances that could diminish the President's status and jeopardise national security and unity.
He said efforts should be made to address the growing kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes in the country.
