comprehensive assessment of the insecurity & terrorism challenges in nigeria and recommendations

Comprehensive Assessment of the

Insecurity & Terrorism Challenges in Nigeria

and Recommendations.

ByDon Okereke

(Security Analyst & Consultant)Abuja, Nigeria.

Email: [email protected]: +2347080008285

January 15, 2013. (Armed Forces Remembrance Day)

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mailto:[email protected]

Contents PageSection 1: Executive Summary 3

Section 2: Introduction 4

Section 3: The significance of a terrorism & counter-terrorism strategy/policy 5

Section 4: Negotiating with terrorists: to be or not to be? 6

Section 5: Need for consistency, cohesion and decisive leadership 7

Section 6: The counter-terrorism policies of the United States,

the United Kingdom and Israel 9

Section 7: Beefing up security in and around Aso Rock 10

Section 8: The impact & butterfly-effect of terrorism on the Nigerian economy 10

Section 9: Causes, factor’s fuelling terrorism in Nigeria 11

Section 10: Plausible terrorism scenarios to watch out for 19

Section 11: Chronicle of notable terrorist incidents in Nigeria 20

Section 12: Foreign assistance & collaboration in tackling insecurity/terrorism 21

Section 13: Novel technologies to combat insecurity & terrorism 22

Section 14: Measures that can nip insecurity/terrorism in the bud 25

Section 15: Need for inter-agency synergy & recruitment Of talented individuals 26

Section 16: Exigent need for efficient intelligence gathering/network 27

Section 17: My personal contribution towards stamping out insecurity/terrorism 28

Section 18: Conclusion 29

Section 19: Author’s contact details 30

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SECTION 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The wanton insecurity, criminality, kidnapping, instability and terrorism currently ravaging Nigeria are symptomatic of a dysfunctional society and a failing State. Abysmal Poverty, hopelessness, joblessness, frustration, unprecedented levels of corruption, arrogance of power, complacent and retroactive Security Agencies, lackadaisical and corrupt judiciary, porous borders, covert foreign interests etc have a butterfly-effect on the unparalleled levels of crimes, insecurity, instability and terrorism currently bedeviling Nigeria. There is also a Crude Oil, radical religion-cultural angle to the mix.

Rather than a fire-brigade approach, Nigeria without delay needs a ‘’Coherent and Comprehensive Terrorism, Counter-terrorism Policy/Strategy cum a National Defence/Military Policy & Strategy’’. We can’t fight Insecurity and Terrorism by blowing hot and cold; it’s high time we took a definite stand. Nigeria is in dire need of a sweeping National Security Reform that embraces and emphasizes on human capital development and state-of-the-art infrastructure.

In addition to the foregoing, this writer also believes that an ‘’Extensive Vulnerability or Resilience Test/Audit of Strategic Public Infrastructures in Nigeria’’ is crucial. Juxtaposing ourselves in the position of the bad guys, our Security Agencies and government think-tanks must brainstorm on worst-case scenarios and have answers to them. Every thoughtful and security-minded country or individual, hopes for the best but prepares for the worst.

It is also imperative to put in place well-articulated programmes that will dissuade citizens from been radicalized and to resort to criminality or terrorism in the first place. Hence acute poverty, hopelessness, unemployment, religious fundamentalism etc must be aggressively tackled and curtailed through feasible programs. Research shows that death penalty via a terrorism law will not necessarily deter individuals or groups hell-bent on committing a crime or atrocities.

Another embarrassing and dangerous trend that must be urgently curbed is the propensity of some Nigerian governors to whimsically and promiscuously grant amnesty or release convicted criminals/terrorists to commemorate Ramadan, Independence Day celebrations etc. This prerogative of clemency MUST not be abused!

In my earlier Piece, ‘’The Remote, Immediate Causes of Crimes, Insecurity/Terrorism and Instability in Nigeria and Solutions’’ http://www.nairaland.com/1027585/remote-immediate-causes-crimes-insecurity, I

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http://www.nairaland.com/1027585/remote-immediate-causes-crimes-insecurity

proffered solutions which are largely Political, Social and Economic Reforms; here, my recommendations are skewed towards deployment of Critical Infrastructures and gadgets.

SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION

Security is a serious business world-over and is the primary responsibility of any responsible government.

There is no gainsaying the fact that terrorism is a growing threat to global, regional and national peace. It is a headache even for the advanced countries because of its unconventional nature. Akin to guerilla warfare, the masterminds are unpredictable, fluid and faceless. The political, social and military rules of engagement have been altered. An enemy who has nothing to lose is indeed a dangerous enemy. Our bane in Nigeria is that by acts of commission or omission, we shy away from the truth; we are rather reactive than proactive.

The Igbo’s have a saying that ‘’aru gbaa afo, oburu omenala’’. In English this roughly translates to ‘’when a crime/atrocity lasts for too long, it becomes a culture’’. Nigeria has become synonymous with terrorism and insecurity. Life has become very cheap here; there is no outrage anymore when innocent people are brutally hacked to death. Our government plays the ostrich and carries on as if there is no cause of alarm. The citizenry, especially those not directly affected go about their business without blinking an eyelid.

Sometime in early 2012, President Jonathan promised that Boko Haram will be history by June 2012. Year 2012 has come to an end and vestiges of Boko Haram miasma is still very much around. They have become more audacious.

Prior to penning this piece, this writer tried through formal and informal channels to ascertain whether or not Nigeria has a terrorism/counterterrorism Policy/Strategy or a National Defence Policy/Strategy but no tangible answer came forth except contradictory coterie of gobbledygook statements from different government functionaries and sources. Typical of most things in Nigeria, many times government Policies and information are generally shrouded in secrecy and spiced with half-truths, confusion, myths and sentiments.

I am struggling to reconcile myself with something; please can somebody in the know confirm that, ‘’the last review of Nigeria’s national Security Policy was done during General Babangida’s regime which gave birth to the National Security Agencies Act in

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1986’’. This was 26 years ago! If this is true, then one is not surprised Nigeria is ill-prepared to contain insecurity and terrorism. We cannot continue doing the same thing, the same way over and over again and expect a different result. Honestly, we need to raise the bar and be on the same page with the rest of the world.

In an interview with journalists sometime in July 2011, the late former National Security Adviser, Lt. Gen Andrew Owoeye Azazi promised that a National Security Sector Reform was in the offing. Being the only person outside the core North that occupied the position of the National Security Adviser, he did not find it easy with many Northern folks. Now that he is no more, characteristic of our culture of lack of continuity and Policy summersault in Nigeria, one hopes his idea of a far-reaching National Security Sector Reform, have not been swept under the carpet.

National Security transcends an individual; National Security goes beyond randomly rejigging the leadership of the army, navy, air force or Police to soothe the agitations of some interest groups. Yes, nobody is important; anybody can be kicked out of an office but those coming subsequently need an established template and guideline to work with.

Contrary to widespread believe, Boko Haram may not after all be responsible for all the acts of terrorism accredited to them. People settle scores somewhere and the Sect basks on it. The Boko Haram quagmire is synonymous with the symptom of an ailment, until we deal with the causative agent of the disease (and not the symptom) as we are doing right now, we may just be chasing shadows.

Hence it is out of profound love, Patriotism and a call to National Service that I undertook to invest my time and resources in articulating these views. This is not aimed at traducing anybody, organization or section of the country. In a country where dissenting opinion or criticism is seen as ‘’Opposition’’, let me quickly point out that this treatise is apolitical and is devoid of tribal leaning or sentiments. This Piece is my little contribution to Nigeria’s progress on the occasion of the 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance Day. I yearn to see Nigeria running rather than crawling!

SECTION 3: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A TERRORISM & COUNTER-TERRORISM STRATEGY/POLICY

Strategy and Policy are synonymous. A Strategy or a Policy is a template that stipulates an elaborate and systematic plan of action to be adopted by an individual, group/organization or a country in an eventuality whereas a law is a collection of rules imposed by an authority or a country. A lot of people argue that Nigeria has a terrorism or anti-terrorism law already; you can see from the two basic definitions that they are two different things. A Strategy/Policy is skewed towards proactiveness and prevention while

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a law is mostly punitive or reactionary. A well-defined framework, policy and strategy have the potency to tilt the balance in a war situation, conflict resolution or negotiation. The presence of a Strategy/Policy and a relevant law will mesh and yield a coveted outcome. It is not only in the area of terrorism or counterterrorism that we need a well-thought out National Policy/Strategy. We don’t need to be going round in circles. Let’s have a template-a policy/strategy that foresees and prescribes solutions to problems before they even arise. It is exigent we have a National Agricultural Policy/strategy, Aviation Policy etc which must be embedded in our Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) and Vision 20-20-20. I just gathered on Tuesday 08/01/2012 that Nigeria is drafting a National Education Policy. I guess this presupposes that none was in existence prior to now?

Every time an incident, accident, terrorism etc occurs in Nigeria, a committee is set up; monetary allocation is made to the committee, a time-frame is given to the committee to submit its report. The committee goes to work, submits its report and another committee is put in place to review the findings of the first committee. Another committee is also assembled to harmonize the findings of the two earlier committees. At the end of the day, the whole exercise becomes a time-wasting and money sapping jamboree as none of the reports sees the light of the day. The Nuhu Ribadu-led Petroleum Taskforce is a recent classic example.

Sequel to the complexity of the Security situation in Nigeria with a mix of economic, political and social strife, the United Nations Counterterrorism Implementation Task Force (CTIF) accentuates the importance of strategy and a collective effort to counterterrorism.

It is high time our egg-heads at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), their colleagues at the Nigerian War College/National Defence College, the Presidency and other think-tank parleyed and formulated a far-reaching terrorism and counterterrorism Policy/Strategy for Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubarka stunned the populace recently when he opined that, ‘’there are many terror suspects in police custody but the Police is being hampered from prosecuting them because the National Assembly is yet to pass the amended anti-terrorism law, but when this is done, all the suspects will be charged to court’’. It beggars belief that the Inspector General of Police is oblivious of the dictates of the Terrorism (Prevention) Bill, 2011. Let’s believe it was a slip of the tongue or he was misquoted. The anti-terrorism law and other laws in Nigeria must not be decimated to mere Paper-tigers. Our laws must be given the much needed bite.

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SECTION 4: NEGOTIATING WITH TERRORISTS: TO BE OR NOT TO BE?

While attempting to broker a deal with Napoleon, Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) said, ‘’we are prepared to go to the gates of hell- but no further’’. Theodore Roosevelt, an American Statesman opines- ‘’speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far’’.

There is so much excitement every time Boko Haram offers to negotiate with the Nigerian government. Granted there are times we have to negotiate but we must never negotiate from positions of apprehension, weakness or helplessness. The government must be the one dictating the terms of the negotiation if need be and not the other way around. It also means that the government must be able to make confirmed terrorists or dissidents an offer they cannot refuse. Every now and then, an offer of negotiation may just be a ploy by the other party to buy time, re-strategize, regroup, and advance. Any time Boko Haram says they want to negotiate, watch out for more daring bombing campaigns.

This hullabaloo of negotiating with everybody or group is tantamount to postponing the evil day. Niger-Delta militants were given a soft landing with the so-called amnesty programme. Even with the amnesty, it is not yet uhuru in the Niger-Delta; what prevails right now is a simulated peace. With one of their own as President of the country, they have mellowed. It is highly probable they will come back to action if and when Jonathan ceases to be President. Now we want to negotiate with Boko Haram, tomorrow we shall negotiate with MASSOB and OPC. We already negotiate with and pay ransoms to kidnappers; I will not be surprised if tomorrow we start negotiating with armed robbers. How can we fight and win a war if we rely on a haphazard approach rather that a well-defined strategy.

There will be severe consequences and negative knock-on effects when the body language of a leader inadvertently sends a signal that he/she has the patience to listen even to deranged individuals. Recall that once you set a precedent, it is difficult to alter the goal post at the middle of a game.

Seldom can force be deterred by persuasion. Experts world-over agree that the ultimate cure for violence is calculated application of superior force.

SECTION 5: NEED FOR CONSISTENCY, COHESION AND DECISIVE LEADERSHIP

Many a times President Jonathan is saying one thing, his minister of information, the President’s Spin doctor- Reuben Abati, the Chief of Army Staff or the Inspector General of Police are all busy saying different things, contradicting themselves. No consistency,

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no synergy, no cohesion. Recall President Jonathan once opined that Boko Haram members are our brothers and that efforts were in top gear to broker a truce with them only for him to recant a few months later saying how can you negotiate with a faceless organization/people. That same period, the Army Chief-General Ihejirika was spitting fire, that there will be no negotiation whatsoever with Boko Haram. The Police is blaming the judiciary and vice versa. Well, this air of confusion and inconsistency may just be the governments ‘’Carrot and stick approach”. If it is, let somebody tell them that it is not fit for purpose. Nigerians and the international community are not impressed with this air of confusion, inconsistency and blame game. People in authority in Nigeria must learn how to take responsibility and be courageous enough to own up and apologize when they screw up, not passing the buck.

Nigeria is in dire need of leaders that must be firm and decisive especially when they are on the right path. Niccolo Machiavelli of blessed memory aptly opines that ‘’it is better for a leader to be feared than to be loved’’. To be feared does not mean that the leader is not loved; it simply sends a message across to certain elements in the polity that there are boundaries that must not be crossed. A leader does not have to be a tyrant to be feared. You may be a Lion inside of you but once your body language or countenance is akin to that of a chicken, people will treat you like a chicken.

The President recently alluded that his administration was slow because they don’t want to rush and make mistakes. Granted that President Jonathan did not promise Nigerians speed during his electoral campaigns but the office he occupies needs some iota of speed and decisiveness. A saying goes, ‘’history will forgive you if you make a mistake but will not forgive you if you do nothing at all’’. Imagine a situation where the September 11 attacks took place and several months/years later the United States government was still procrastinating on what to do. Hate him or love him, President Bush is a decisive leader. He swiftly rose up to the occasion; no doubt mistakes were made but the United States is safer and stronger now.

You don’t have to pander for ages on the best approach. You work with the variables on ground; innocent lives are lost as you dilly-dally to take a stand. Yes, there are no guarantees in life. There is no guarantee that a decision will give the desired result but that will not deter one from taking a step at all. Just like everyone else, I have made some personal choices/decisions in life that did not pan out the way I envisioned them but I can tell you that I learnt so much and became a better person sequel to those decisions. We tend to learn more from personal failures than from successes; so do countries too.

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You don’t go about reciting poetry to a non-poet or somebody who does not appreciate poetry; when you meet a swordsman, you draw your own sword too. Desperate situations call for desperate measure. Balance of terror has the potency to instill peace and sanity. The only language many Nigerians appreciate, is a little bit of an ‘’iron-hand’’. Even though Obasanjo has been publicly elastic with his position on the best approach to the Boko Haram conundrum, many Nigerians believe he would have handled better.

Mr. President Goodluck Jonathan, don’t tell us Boko Haram members are our brothers and sisters yet they are indiscriminately killing innocent people, destroying properties and engraining fear on the populace.

SECTION 6: THE COUNTER-TERRORISM POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM AND ISRAEL

Here we shall examine the counter-terrorism policies of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Israel. The aforementioned countries have something in common: they have a well-thought out Strategy and Policy for combating terrorism. Perhaps we can learn a few lessons from them.

1. The United States of America: An average American will not mince words in telling you that that the US does not negotiate with terrorists. After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the United States embarked on wide-ranging reforms. They effectively restructured their terrorism/counter-terrorism policy and strategy. It is now biased towards deterrence and preemption i.e. taking the battle to the door steps of the enemy, keeping them busy in their own soil.

The leading framework of deterrence policy of the United States is encapsulated in the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act gave new powers for Intelligence-gathering, authority to intercept communications, creation of a ‘’terrorist exclusion list’’. It also specifies assignments to specific agencies- the FEMA has the responsibility of developing an overall federal response plan while Delta Force and Seal Team Six are the ‘muscles’ of the US counterterrorism. Other sister agencies like the DCI counter-terrorist centre, the CIA and the FBI have varied roles.

2. The United Kingdom: Sequel to the global hegemony that Great Britain once enjoyed, the UK is adept at terrorism issues. Recall the UK battled the Irish Republican Army (IRA) for several years. The United Kingdom redoubled its domestic counterterrorism strategy after the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 by Libyan terrorists in December 1988. In December 2001, the British parliament passed the ‘Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act’ which empowers Security agencies to detain suspected terrorists upwards of 6 months without charges. The United Kingdom also

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has an alert system that indicates and warns its citizens when a terrorist incident is likely, critical heightened and so on. This effectively sensitizes the citizenry and makes them conscious of goings-on around them and to report suspicious activities/individuals around them.

3. Israel’s Counterterrorism Policy: Israel ranks high in the ladder of countries with massive experience with counter-terrorism measures. Due to hostility from its Arab neighbors, the State of Israel enacted the ‘Prevention of terrorism Ordinance in way back 1948. Like the United States, Israel has a zero-tolerance Policy in negotiating with terrorists. They demonstrated this in June 1976 when a group of Palestinian and German terrorists abducted an Air France Plane and held its passengers hostage at Entebbe, Uganda.

SECTION 7: BEEFING UP SECURITY IN AND AROUND ASO ROCK

Sometime in 2012, Nigeria’s seat of government celebrated with pump and pageantry, the establishment of 176 Special Forces Battalion to support the existing 177 and 7 battalions of the Presidential Guards. According to government sources, this will help to strengthen the security network around Aso Rock and its environs. This is quite commendable. One wishes that similar steps will be taken to ensure that all Nigerians irrespective of their tribe, religious inclination and place of residence, are safe. How far will beefing up security around Aso Rock go when President Jonathan himself once said that there are elements of Boko Haram in his Cabinet?

The President must strive to fish out these elements in his midst otherwise building fortresses will be of little or no use. By building fortresses to protect himself, a Prince inadvertently gives the impression that he is afraid of his own people [Niccolo Machiavelli]. He who knows himself and his enemies will never in a hundred battles be at risk [Sun-Tzu].

SECTION 8: THE IMPACT & BUTTERFLY-EFFECT OF TERRORISM ON THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY

Mr. James Ebuetse, the director of Policy Advocacy and External Relations at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) opines that, ‘’the increasing level of insecurity is already frustrating efforts by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) to attract investments into the country ‘’

The impact of insecurity and terrorism on the Nigerian economy, especially the Northern part of Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized. To give us an idea, statistics from the Central Bank of Nigeria indicates in 2010 that the total capital inflow into Nigeria stood at

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$5.99Billion. The foreign direct Investment was put at 12.2 percent which translates to $668 million i.e. 78% drop from $3.3 billion recorded the preceding year. According to the CBN, this drop is sequel to the ‘’poor state of infrastructure and the global economic uncertainty’’. However, the home/gospel truth is that the unprecedented level of insecurity and sporadic terrorist acts in Nigeria is taking a big toll on the Nigerian economy.

The Northern governors are already complaining that the economy of the Northern region is on its knees. A former head of state- Abdulsalami Abubarka added his voice recently by saying that there is no more night life in the north part of Nigeria as people are afraid to go out at night.

I have family members and friends spread in the northern states of Nigeria. Many of them have spent decades in the north and may have problems acclimatizing or acculturating to the way of life of south-easterners from where they migrated to the north. As I write, majority of these people have relocated to other southern states of Nigeria because of the Boko Haram rampage that have crippled business and social life especially in the northern parts of Nigeria. Those still residing in the north probably have no choice or are hugely invested there that it may not be convenient for them to relocate. They can’t continue for too long if this random killings and psychological warfare persists.

For the records, I was born in the North, Adamawa state to be precise. Till date, I still have a strong emotional affinity for my place of birth. In a very sane country, Adamawa state will equate to my state of origin. My father resided in Adamawa (former Gongola state) for decades. I still have vivid memories of us sleeping under dogonyaro trees throughout the night without any incident. We were very much at home there until the equation changed. We ran back to the South-East during the Maitatsine onslaught in the 80’s. We stayed in the East for a while and went back when the situation calmed down. The same air of unpredictability and insecurity that transpired more than 20 years ago is still very much around.

Life has become very cheap in Nigeria. People are killed indiscriminately and there is no feeling of outrage. The incident is talked about for a couple of days and it is business as usual again until another incident takes place.

My younger sister and her husband just relocated to the South-East from Adamawa state after sojourning there for decades. A good friend of mine, a secondary school mate that lived in Katsina State for about 20 years moved to Ebonyi state with his family. He is

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still struggling to sell a plot of land he bought in Funtua (Katsina State). According to him, potential buyers are offering him N300, 000.00 (three hundred thousand naira) for the plot of land he bought for a million naira or so. I guess he has no choice than to sell at that rate because he cannot transplant the land.

SECTION 9: CAUSES, FACTOR’S FUELLING TERRORISM IN NIGERIA

Crime they say is easier than calculus. One of the unfortunate and lamentable principles of human ingenuity and productivity is that it is much easier to destroy than to create. A house that sapped millions of kilo joules of energy and several years to build can be destroyed in a twinkle of an eye by a five year old with a single match-stick.

More often than not, terrorism is born out of feelings of weakness and despair. People who feel weak, powerless and probably intimidated are often tempted into outbursts of anger or irrational behavior.

The potency of terrorism is essentially psychological. Nothing can be as frustrating as an unpredictable event or scenario. The longer this mental corrosion and confusion persists, the more debilitating it gets. Terrorists know they cannot win the war so they try to make the price of their opponents (State/Country) victory very exorbitant.

There are several other plausible explanations and raison d etre for the insecurity, instability and terrorism in Nigeria. Some of these factors were expatiated in my earlier Piece titled, ‘’Remote & Immediate Causes of Crime, Insecurity and Terrorism in Nigeria’’ http://www.nairaland.com/1027585/remote-immediate-causes-crimes-insecuritySo in addition to the foregoing, the following factors also fuel Insecurity, Instability and Terrorism in Nigeria:

1. Radical Religion-Cultural Angle: A rather funny phenomenon is that religion sometimes enables petty and dishonest Homo sapiens to work with one another by depending upon a supernatural power higher than them. To a large extent, this is also a function of a dysfunctional State. Religious organizations- Churches and Mosques in most African countries perform the work of the State. Churches/Mosques dole out money etc to impoverished members. This is not a bad thing to do. The flip-side is that he who plays the Piper dictates the tune. Hence it becomes easy for a run-of-the-mill Imam of Pastor to brainwash an entire congregation because they depend on him for their upkeep etc. An upsurge of religious fundamentalism invariably undermines the social order.

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An average American, Canadian or Westerner generally, does not necessary have to fast and pray before s/he eats 2 square meals or clothes himself. Even with the recession, an average Westerner does not have to fast 21 days before he feeds because there is a safety net somwehere. They see some of these things as their right, not a privilege. In the West, their government is like their god. This explains why many of them will have no qualms dying for their country.

A lot of people in the wealthy countries of North America and Europe demonstrate by their countenance that they are more interested in Profits here on earth than the promise of paradise. Contrast this with many folks in poor economies who under the guise of religion are willing to die for their faith. I am sure you must have heard this gist making the rounds that some radical Islamic fundamentalist are brain-washed into jihad believing they will be entitled to 72 virgins if they die in the process.

One is bemused and gob smacked with the prospect of certain individuals burning houses and killing people indiscriminately in Nigeria because of a cartoon in a far away European country. A lot of people are asking: Can’t God or Allah can fight for himself?

However many genuine Muslims have strongly dissociated their faith with the Boko Haram philosophy. Students of history will recall that Christianity had a more radical approach during the Inquisition than now. Perhaps these guys will someday know that the world has moved on.

2. Failure of Governance, Abysmal Poverty & Unprecedented Unemployment: Failure of governance, abysmal Poverty, hopelessness, joblessness and frustration are some of the remote factors that have a knock-on effect on the unparalleled levels of crimes, insecurity, instability and terrorism currently bedeviling Nigeria.

It is an irony that in a country richly endowed with abundant human and material resources, abject poverty inculcates a mentality of desperation and hostility in the psyche of her citizens. The oil money does not trickle down, a few individual sit on it and when they want, share it amongst their families and cronies.

You don’t expect less in a country where 800,000 graduates applied for 1,500 positions in INEC, the electoral ombudsman. As I gather my thoughts for this piece, a news item on Africa Independence Television (AIT) reminds me of the, ‘’Employment Scandal rocking the Nigeria Immigration Service’’. Slots were said to have been appropriated to the wife of the President and other buddies. As usual, the recruitment

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exercise was not advertised. Few weeks or months ago, a similar scandal rocked the Nigeria Customs Service. You don’t expect less in such a country.

Here goes the Punch Newspaper of November 7, 2012, Page 9, ‘’The Federal Character Commission says it has started investigations into 16 federal government agencies for secretly employing people in violation of the Federal Civil Service guidelines’’. In a sane country, this is a very serious indictment and heads will roll. Please let somebody ask the Federal Character Commission the outcome of their investigation. Any culprits/sanctions or convictions?

Recall the Arab Spring and uprising that swept off several governments in the region happened because a frustrated unemployed graduate set himself ablaze. Nigerians are generally pliable, as Fela said, nobody wants to die. You can’t continue pushing people to the wall and expect them to sit back and be watching you.

As the world economy and particularly the Nigerian economy grinds to a halt, increase in per capita income will stall. With no safety net or shoulder to fall back on, a lot of people are and will get more hopeless, frustrated and desperate.

Nigerian government officials went to work bandying figures to dispute the inference by the Economist Intelligence Unit that rated Nigeria as the worst country to be born in. If the aforementioned institution or a similar one had come out to say that Nigeria is the fastest growing economy, our leaders will add it to their laurels.

3. Quest for Political Power and 2015 Connection: It goes without saying that our system of government, the variant of the Presidential System of government that we practice in Nigeria invariably contributes to the high level of Instability and Terrorism in our polity. The centre (Presidency) is very attractive and everybody (all the ethnic groups) strives to have a shot at it. Some ethnic groups even think it is their birthright. In a national context, the Nigerian President wields more power than the United States President. The Nigerian President can hire and fire the EFCC/ICPC Chairman, the Inspector General of Police, and the INEC Chairman Etc. In fact the Nigerian President is like a tin-god (no pun intended), he can do and undo. No wonder it is a do or die matter to get there. Our so-called presidential system of government is a mockery and a corruption of what a Presidential system of government entails.

While many parts of the world increasingly see the wisdom in devolving more power to the Federating or Constituent Units, the United States and the United Kingdom are classic examples; we in Nigeria are busy maneuvering on how to concentrate more

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power on the hands of few people. Try as I can, I don’t seem to see anything wrong with the much clamored for ‘State Police’ and ‘Local Government Autonomy’.

The States in America largely control the resources in their domain and pay tax to the centre; they have their own State police etc. In the UK, the principle of devolution gave birth to a Scottish Parliament. There is a Scottish Police and a Currency (with Mary Slessor on it) etc. There is also a Welsh Parliament or Assembly, Welsh Police etc. So why is Nigeria going the opposite direction?

This quest for absolute Political Power in Nigeria trickles down even to the States. At the State level, Nigerian governors are against local government autonomy. The governors want more power hence they want to exercise absolute control over the local governments.

As I piece this article together, news filtered in that the governor of Kaduna State, Mr. Patrick Yakowa died in a helicopter crash. Given the Christian-Moslem dichotomy in the state, his deputy (Mukhtar Yamadan Yero), a Moslem, has since emerged the substantive governor. With this development, the political equation and dynamics in Kaduna state towards 2015 elections has automatically changed. This is akin to what happened when former President Yar Adua passed on and Goodluck Jonathan emerged president. History has a way of repeating itself.

Sequel to former President Yar Adua’s demise and the subsequent emergence of Jonathan as the substantive President, Nigeria has known little peace with the escalation of the Boko Haram brouhaha. No doubt there is a political dimension to their agitation as they have repeatedly called for Nigeria to be an Islamic State. The North felt its birthright has been taken from them when Umar Yar Adua passed on.

Call to mind that prior to the last general elections, some elements in the North threatened fire and brimstone should Power slip away from them. ‘’Men sooner forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony [Machiavelli].

With the various ethnic groups especially the North strongly agitating to take over Political Power come 2015, the section of the country that makes the utmost noise may whip up enough sentiment that will make other parts of the country to say, ‘’a beg lets give it to them’’. Remember that the onslaught of the Niger Delta Militants led to a South-Southerner emerging the Vice-President and subsequently the substantive president.

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Recall a top-ranking Boko Haram Kingpin was allegedly arrested in the residence of a serving Senator and another one was arrested in the residence of an ex-House of Representatives member in Abuja. This shows that these Boko Haram members wine and dine with our politicians; they have friends in high places. The Senator tried to exonerate himself by alluding that he does not own the house where the Kingpin was arrested but that the house belonged to a former governor. A former Police Commissioner, Zakari Biu was dismissed from the Police for aiding the escape of a suspect. Mr. Biu opined he was under pressure from some quarters to free the bloke.

The erstwhile National Security Adviser- General Andrew Azazi, may his soul rest in peace, concurs there is a PDP/Political angle to this Boko Haram miasma.

Another embarrassing and dangerous trend is the prerogative and propensity of some Nigerian governors to whimsically grant amnesty or release convicted criminals/terrorists to commemorate one event or the other. This tendency must be checked.

Note that as 2015 elections inch closer, there is a tendency the polity will heat up and insecurity/terrorism will increase geometrically. Nigeria and Nigerians must brace up for a flurry of activities and the unpredictable.

4. The Crude-Oil Connection: Crude oil remains the life-blood of most Western economies and whoever controls oil has a grip on the prosperity and peace of the industrialized West. Disruption of oil supply from Nigeria will have a multiplier-effect on the price of oil in the world market and also on the economy of those countries that rely on our oil.

Is it a coincidence that many oil producing countries are relatively unstable? By a twist of fate, many if not most oil-exporting countries are either Islamic societies such as Iraq, Libya, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Algeria or countries with large Islamic influence like Nigeria, Indonesia, Kazakhstan etc. It is on record that oil money cum radical Islamic beliefs fuelled Islamic revolutions in Iran and an upsurge of militant fundamentalism in Egypt, Saudi Arabia etc. In some of these countries, the so-called oil money does not trickle down and political power is vested on an individual or his family making others to agitate. Remember how the mercurial Col. Ghadaffi and his family ran Libya like their private business.

Peace is yet to return to Libya even after the ouster of Col. Ghadaffi. Note the alacrity with which some Western nations intervened in Libya to get rid of Ghadaffi and how

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they dilly-dally or out rightly refuse to intervene in some countries like Syria, Congo, etc where they don’t have oil interest.

It also follows that powerful interests that want Crude oil price to augment in the international market can cause a disruption through acts of terrorism in some other country. This leads us to another factor below- Covert Foreign Intervention hypothesis.

5. Covert Foreign Intervention Angle: Instances abound of nation states exporting terrorism to destabilize other rival sovereign nations. Late Col. Ghadaffi was alleged to have championed this trade. President Yugo Chaves of Venezuela is said to be sympathetic to FARC Rebels and so on and so forth. This explains why Western Interests did not hesitate in exterminating Ghadafi when the chips were down. Ghadafi reportedly openly suggested that Nigeria should split along ethnic and religious lines. Right now Nigeria may not overtly have any external aggression to contend with, however Nigeria’s claims to be the giant of Africa elicits rivalry and jealousy amongst her sister African countries.

Also, anytime Nigeria gets some form of security assistance or collaboration with these predominantly Western Christian nations, the largely Islamic Arab countries tend to align with ‘their’ Muslim brothers in the Northern parts of Nigeria. While the Obasanjo government fought to whittle down the spread and influence of Sharia in most Northern states then, some Arab countries were busy sponsoring and patronizing the so-called Sharia States in Nigeria.

Iran’s ‘’Quods force’’ allegedly launders acts of subversion and their brand of Islamic fundamentalism to some other countries like Sudan, Egypt etc. With Iraq subdued, Iran, potential a nuclear power, is arguably an imperial power on the march. They have been flexing their muscles lately.

Sometime in 2010, a couple of Iranians- Mr. Azimi Agajany and Sayed Akbar Tahmaesebi and some Nigerian collaborators were arrested for importing 13 containers of sophisticated military-grade weapons to Nigeria. Some report alluded that the said arms cache was destined for Palestine (Gaza). Imagine the far-reaching consequences if Nigeria was its final destination and it slipped through our borders. These Iranians were apprehended July 17, 2010 and promptly charged to court but the case has lingered for too long and there are fears that the truth may never be known.

As a matter of urgency and national security, this case needs to be expedited so we can know exactly what transpired.

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6. Nigeria’s Porous Borders & Inflow of Illegal Weapons: Nigeria’s enormous borders are dangerously porous. Our water-ways are not adequately patrolled. Same applies to our enormous land borders with neighboring countries like Benin Republic, Niger, and Cameroun. Sources indicate that the growing sophistication of Boko Haram suggests they have a link with foreign terrorist networks like Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Shabab.

A few headlines will buttress the exigent need to effectively patrol Nigeria’s borders and safeguard our sea and airports. According to Saturday Sun, March 10, 2012, ‘’explosives from South Africa intercepted at Lagos Airport’’. The Nation Newspaper, of Thursday, December 6, 2012, opines, ‘’Britain jails shipper of 80,000 guns to Nigeria’’. As I write, about 15 Russians are currently been tried in a Nigerian court for illegal entry and arms importation into Nigeria. These few examples went sour, who knows how many of such deals sailed through. Again, imagine the far-reaching consequences of such illegal weapons passing through our borders.

A source hinted that mobile Scanners at TinCan PTML are in poor condition with signs of corrosion and hydraulic leakage while mobile scanners at Seme border, Warri and Calabar ports are said to be faulty, scarcely maintained.

The Lagos State governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola ironically queried how explosives/fireworks came into Nigeria after stockpiled fireworks exploded in a warehouse in December 2012 which led to the destruction of properties worth hundreds of millions of naira. Let me attempt to answer the governor’s question; perhaps it was evil spirits that whisked those explosives into Nigeria. The last time I checked, these explosives are contraband. This incident underscores how porous our borders are and the level of corruption inherent in the Customs.

7. Unregulated Sales of Chemicals: Nigeria is probably one of the few countries where anybody can waltz in to a Chemical shop and purchase chemicals without questions or eye-brows raised. Some of these chemicals are precursors to home-made or Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s). Just about anybody can peddle Trinitrotoluene (TNT), Acetone, PETN, Fertilizers etc. There must be a database of those selling such chemicals and also those patronizing them. Chemical dealers must be made to report suspicious purchases or transactions. I recall an idea was once mooted for the Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN) to regulate this trade.

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8. Prevalence of Injustice, Corruption and Arrogance of Power: According to Lord Hewart, a British lawyer, ‘’Justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done’’. Wealthy and well-connected folks in Nigeria commit all manner of atrocities and get away with them. They even brag and tell you that nothing will happen. And nothing happens! A culture of impunity has been enshrined here and will take some time to go away. If you are wondering what connection injustice and arrogance of power has got with the high rate of insecurity and terrorism in Nigeria, then imagine this scenario. A young man works for a typical big-man in Nigeria and at the end of the month or several months, the so-called big-man refuses to pay the young fellow. Rather than pay the young man, he threatens and uses his connection with the SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police) to arrest and detain the young man. Go to some SARS facilities and behold a plethora of innocent citizens languishing there just because somebody somewhere wishes to teach them a lesson.

No wonder SARS headquarters in Abuja was recently attacked and some detained inmates were freed.

Also related to the foregoing is the recent report that suggests that more than 7,000 (seven thousand) Nigerians may have been killed through extra-judicial killing by Nigeria’s law enforcement agents. The summary execution of a former Boko Haram leader (Mohammed Yusuf) in broad day light no doubt led to the escalation of the Sects insurgency. You don’t intimidate or kill people indiscriminately like that just because you have the wherewithal or serve in the Police, Army etc and you expect them to just fold their hands. Violence begets violence; no individual/organization has a monopoly of violence. It’s a vicious cycle!

Please, enough of injustice, raw use of power, impunity, and unprecedented arrogance of power in Nigeria.

On corruption, many schools of thought strongly believe there is a nexus between insecurity, terrorism and corruption. According to Diane Kohn, the anti-crime Program Coordinator at the US Embassy in Nigeria, ‘’Corruption is affecting Nigeria’s security’’.Due to corruption and lack of proper inspection at our Ports, land borders and airports, it is very easy to import arms, explosives and all manner of contraband into Nigeria.

SECTION 10: PLAUSIBLE TERRORISM SCENARIOS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Rather than our reactionary approach to issues, the Nigerian Government and our Security agencies must begin to think the unthinkable, proactively brainstorming on the

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next move that the bad guys will make and have answers to those probable scenarios. It’s no use crying after the oil must have spilled.

In Pakistan, official report posits that more than 90% of bombs are detonated by attackers using cell phones’’. Save for the October 1st Independent Day celebration twin bombings that were allegedly remotely detonated, so far it would appear that most terrorist incidents in Nigeria follow a pattern- suicide bombers laced with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s), random attacks on public places and places of worship; drive-by shootings and destruction of public infrastructure/telecommunication equipments.

How safe are our airports and flights emanating from our shores? Experts advocate adequate screening of passenger and cargo flights to and fro Nigeria. Is the security system in our airports strong enough to forestall hijacking of aircrafts or sabotaging a flight with explosive devices?

Has anybody in Nigeria especially the Security Agencies imagined and proffered solutions to the prospect and scenario of terrorists poisoning essential public utilities with say radioactive materials? What will be the response to this type of incident? What Agency of government is/will be responsible for coordinating a response to such incident? Or do we say, when we get to the bridge we shall know how to cross it?

Yes we are very good at praying, so let’s pray that these goons don’t up the ante by getting more sophisticated. Recall the Scripture says ‘’watch and pray’’. Let’s prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Sometime last year, news filtered in that names, addresses, and bank account details etc of some serving and retired personnel of Nigeria’s State Security Service was published online. What a national embarrassment and a threat to National Security. This is a wakeup call. This kind of act may not necessarily be carried out by external criminal elements.

Granted that social vices like kidnapping, armed robbery etc are to a large extent, evenly spread across Nigeria but so far, indiscriminate terrorist attacks (bombings) are prevalent in the Northern parts of the country. Don’t we think these extremists have the wherewithal to export their stock-in-trade to the southern parts of the country as well? If these guys can successfully penetrate and attack the UN Office, Police HQ Abuja, SARS HQ Abuja (Nigeria’s Seat of Government), what makes us think they cannot take on the National Assembly Complex and other National Monuments? Are there proactive security measures by our Security Agencies to forestall such probable scenarios?

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Contrary to our renowned fire brigade approach and our penchant for saying ‘’God forbid’’ to issues no matter how highly probable appear, I hereby advocate for an urgent ‘’Vulnerability or Resilient Tests/Audit of Strategic Public Infrastructures’’ across Nigeria.

An avid global trend follower will concur that cyber warfare/terrorism is more or less the in-thing now. Cyber warfare/terrorism transcends national borders and boundaries. An IT savvy individual can sit in the comfort of his home in China, Iran or the United Kingdom and wreck havoc in America. Ask the Scottish chap- McKinnon how he was able to hack into Pentagon and NASA websites while sited in Scotland (United Kingdom). His extradition request by the United States Government has since been turned down by the UK authorities.

SECTION 11: CHRONICLE OF NOTABLE TERRORIST INCIDENTS IN NIGERIA

With multiple and simultaneous bombings in various parts of the country, it is an arduous task keeping tabs on the statistics and plethora of terrorist incidents across Nigeria. Places of worship- churches and mosques are not spared in this onslaught. As I write, a news item reminds me of the killing of 6 church worshippers on 2012 Christmas Eve in Yobe state. Recall that on October 19, 1986, a parcel bomb fatally injured and killed the late Dele Giwa erstwhile editor of NewsWatch magazine. Between 1993 and 1998, Nigeria witnessed elaborate bombings during the General Sani Abacha regime with government and pro-democracy groups pointing accusing fingers at each other.

The Niger-Delta militants took bombing to another dimension with their bombing of crude oil installations in the creeks of Niger Delta.The November 25, 2012 bombing of St Andrews Military Protestant Church at Jaji Cantonment is a bold statement/message from the Boko Haram. For the records, AFCSC Jaji is an elite military establishment in Nigeria and for these guys to have masterminded such an act means they must not be toyed with. They are increasingly taking the war to the door step of those that are supposed to be hunting them. Our Security agents must brace up for more of such attacks. 24 hours after the Jaji bombing, armed bandits stormed SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad) Headquarters in Abuja and successfully released about 30 suspects. This happened in Abuja, not in a remote village say in Mubi (Adamawa state) or in Illela (Sokoto state). Recall that prior to this SARS attack, the Nigeria Police Headquarters Abuja was bombed and a suicide-bomb attempt failed at the Police headquarters in Maiduguri.

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In December 2009, a young Nigerian Al-Qaeda Sympathizer- Umar Farouq Abdulmutallab attempted to bomb Flight 253 to Detroit, United States of America. Friday August 26, 2011 was a sad day in Nigeria when a car loaded with explosives rammed through the gates of the United Nations compound in Abuja and smashed into the building’s main reception area. With dozens injured, a conservative estimate put the death rate at 18. This incident was an international embarrassment on the Nigerian government. It also emboldened and internationalized the activities of Boko Haram. It was indeed a successful publicity stunt by the sect.In addition to the foregoing, here are some other terrorist incidents: 28 October 2012, a suicide attacker drove a jeep packed with explosives into St.

Rita’s Catholic Church in Malati village. 08 July 2012, Senator Gyang Dalyop Datang and others were killed in a terrorist

attack while attending a mass burial in Plateau state. Being a serving Senator and a public figure, this generated wide outcry with the usual rhetoric from the government that the masterminds will be brought to book.

June 10, 2012, extremists ran a car full of explosives at a Pentecostal church in Plateau state.

June 16, 2011, Nigerian Police Headquarters, Abuja was bombed. October 1st 2010, multiple bomb blast in Abuja during independent day celebration. December 29, 2010, rally of Beimo Rufus-Spiff in Bayelsa state was bombed December 31, 2010, Sani Abacha barracks, mammy market in Abuja was bombed April 8, 2010, INEC office in Suleja, near Abuja was bombed May 29 2010, Shadawanka barracks in Bauchi state was bombed April 25 1996, Nigerian Air force Base Ikeja was bombed November 14 1996, a section of the Murtala Mohhamed International airport was

bombed January 20 1996, Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano was bombed January 18 1996, Durbar Hotel Kaduna was bombed May 31, 1995, a bomb went off just before the launching of a Family Support

Programme.

SECTION 12: FOREIGN ASSISTANCE & COLLABORATION IN TACKLING INSECURITY/TERRORISM

There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria needs assistance and collaboration in tackling insecurity and terrorism. Intelligence sharing amongst nation states is definitely exigent in this regard. Sequel to her wide arsenal of intelligence, the United States government always seems to be very much abreast of security challenges in virtually every country that they have strategic interest in. the United States forewarned of

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growing radicalization and terrorism in Northern Nigeria even before it came to the fore but the Nigerian government downplayed the warnings.

No doubt we need foreign expertise but on what terms. Is it in our own interest or theirs to help us? What are the terms and conditions of the assistance? It is not every time there is a terror incident or threat to National Security that we rely on foreign expertise to solve the riddle for us. We must rather concentrate on acquiring the know-how to sort some of these problems by ourselves than relying on foreign countries/organizations that may also have their own interests or aggrandizement.

The Associated Press recently reported that the ‘’United States Army will be deploying troops to 35 African countries’’. The Associated Press says the US troops will head specifically to Libya, Sudan, Algeria, Kenya, Somalia and Niger in order to prepare for any advances from Al-Qaeda linked groups and Al Shabab. Curiously Nigeria’s name is conspicuously missing from the list of countries that will benefit from this deployment. I have a hunch this ‘omission’ is a strategic maneuver done in other not to raise eye-brows. Let us quickly point out that the Americans do not necessary hold the magic wand. The American troops will surely have challenges because this is not their terrain. The head of the US Army Forces Command, General David Rodriguez acknowledges there will be challenges. He opines, ‘’the challenges we have is to always understand the system in their country, we are not there to show them our system, we are there to make their system work’’.

SECTION 13: NOVEL TECHNOLGIES TO COMBAT INSECURITY & TERRORISM

There is no amount of money spent on Security that can be said to be too much because without adequate security, human activity-business, governance, education etc cannot thrive. However, there must be good outcomes when huge investments are expended in Security. This must not be another avenue for siphoning our collective wealth.

In 2012, out of a total Federal budget of N4.7 trillion, N320bn and N349bn were respectively allocated to the Police and Defence. In 2013, out of the N4.9 trillion federal budgets, Police got N319.65bn while Defence got N348.91bn. The foregoing represents a major chunk of the 2012 and 2013 budgets. In Nigeria, the 36 State governors are also entitled to N6bn each every year as ‘’Security Votes’’ which they don’t owe anybody any explanations as to what or how they use the money. From the evidence on ground, the huge allocations to Security does is not yielding the much desired results. It follows that these monies may not after all be judiciously deployed.

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Nigeria does not have to spend millions of dollars to acquire a dilapidated Second World War Naval War Ship when the same amount if judiciously used, can get us a few state-of-the art equipment.

In my earlier Piece, ‘’The Remote, Immediate Causes of Crimes, Insecurity/Terrorism and Instability in Nigeria and Solutions’’ http://www.nairaland.com/1027585/remote-immediate-causes-crimes-insecurity, I proffered solutions which are largely Political, Social and Economic Reforms; here, my recommendations are skewed towards deployment of Critical Infrastructures and gadgets. The following is a rundown of some innovative technologies that will help us tackle insecurity and terrorism in Nigeria:

1. Automatic Number Plate Recognition System: Is a surveillance method that uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle registration plates. This can help determine who a particular vehicle was/is registered to incase a car is used for terrorism/crime. In addition to real-time processing of license plate numbers, an Automatic Number Plate Recognition System can store images, dates, times and GPS coordinates that can help to pinpoint a suspect at a crime scene. Its other applications include fishing out Car insurance defaulters, witness identification, electronic toll collection, road traffic management and monitoring border crossings.

The Nigeria Police, the FRSC and the Customs should be equipped with this piece of gadget now that car bombings are gaining grounds in Nigeria.

2. Encompassing National Database & Fingerprint of Convicted Criminals: There is paucity of a comprehensive database of Nigerians and especially those that of felons. The implication of this alone has extensive security consequences. Cases of ex-convicts and Cultists serving even in the Security Agencies. It is high time Nigeria profoundly invested in essential forensic tools and updates the DNA, fingerprint databases especially of ex-felons. The Police Forensic Laboratory must be strengthened and well-staffed. One hopes the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will be able to give us a good database. In the US, there is a Social Security Number; the UK have their National Insurance Number and so on and so forth. In addition, some of the aforementioned countries comprehensive National Crime Database such that immediately a suspect or culprit is arrested, his/her details are quickly entered into the database to know whether he/she has a prior criminal record or not.

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There is also more risk in concentrating people’s personal details in one place without adequate security. This is the issue I have with the much touted SIM Card registration exercise. So it also follows that Nigeria also needs a data protection act or law that spells out how such data must be stored and penalties meted out should personal details of individuals be unduly compromised.

3. Wired/Wireless and Internet Protocol Networked CCTV Cameras-This will involve installations of the aforementioned surveillance cameras, if not in the nooks and cranny of the country, at least in the major cities or strategic places. A couple of years ago, arguably the biggest robbery in the history of the United Kingdom was pulled in broad daylight in a London Jewelry shop. The robbery probably lasted a few minutes and the assailants had prosthetics (face mask). It was a successful operation; I guess the blokes gave themselves a pat on the back for the stunt they pulled. However, a couple of days after the incident, footages of the coterie of CCTV Cameras in the streets of London were meticulously pieced together and analyzed. The culprits were eventually fished out. If this had happened in Nigeria, it’s a done deal; there will be no trace of those guys, the police will probably tell us it was evil spirits or something.

Recently some major streets in Abuja were adorned with 2015 re-election posters of President Goodluck Jonathan. There were claims and counter-claims with accusing fingers pointing at different directions. With CCTV Cameras, it is not difficult to solve this riddle because the people that pasted the posters will be tracked.

4. Unattended Land/Ground Sensors-This is one of the state-of-the-art gadgets that provide enhanced protection for Border Security, Infrastructure and Force protection. If we are really serious to fight insecurity, cross-border crime and terrorism then we have to deploy up-to-date equipment like the aforementioned. This will go a long way in monitoring our ubiquitous and porous land borders where arms, ammunitions and illegal immigrants troop into Nigeria from.

Special attention must be paid to our borders because of developments (crises) in some African countries like Mali, Sudan, Central African Republic, D.R Congo etc. There is a tendency for these problems to spill-over to other neighboring countries. Rebels in these countries will not be happy with Nigeria deploying troops and assistance to their countries hence they may also want to export their stock-in-trade to Nigeria.

5. State-of-the-art Explosive Detectors- The use of explosive detectors is fast gaining ground in Nigeria. Air ports, churches, mosques, schools and other public places are

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not left out in the fad to frisk their visitors with explosive detectors. It’s not about flaunting explosive detector, there are detectors and there are detectors. Let it be known that many of the explosive detectors in the market are often unable to sniff out trace amounts (say, a few parts per quadrillion) of the precursors for explosives like TNT. Hence sensitivity is crucial in explosive detection technology because some powerful explosive chemical compounds such as PETN and RDX do not easily vaporize at normal temperatures. Detectors capable of detecting vapors of TNT and other conventional explosives are preferred. A good explosive detector must be extremely selective, sensitive and must be able to distinguish a real explosive from

the ‘’noise’’ of other compounds. Research has shown that when it comes to explosives detection, trained dogs remain ideal in terms of selectivity and sensitivity.

So before you purchase an explosive detector, ensure it is a very reliable one unless you want to use it for psychological deterrence otherwise it cannot stop terrorists from waltzing through your premises.

6. The Use of Satellite-Based Technology in Security-From border monitoring to disaster management (crude oil pipeline monitoring etc); education (distance learning) to telemedicine, telecommunication and e-government, Satellite-based technology no doubt has wide applications and will invariably help in tackling insecurity and terrorism in Nigeria. One believes that NigeriaSat-1/NigeriaSat-2, NigComSat, NX Nigeria have the aforementioned capabilities and must without delay be channeled towards tackling and curbing insecurity and terrorism in Nigeria. This is where a seamless inter-government agency synergy comes to play.

SECTION 14: MEASURES THAT CAN NIP INSECURITY/TERRORISM IN THE BUD

Because of the extreme asymmetry of forces at play in the terrorist mind and their strategy which are essentially elements of surprise, fluidity, anonymity and unpredictability, a military solution does not always yield the desired result. Aggressive counter-attack, a storm in a tea cup strategy as is always the case in Nigeria, will lead to losing the moral high ground. Terrorists employ guerrilla tactics and surprise propagation of terror therefore cruise missiles etc may not wield the magic wand. Deploying a battalion of soldiers and a squadron of kill-and-go mobile police officers and baptize them Joint Task Force (JTF) or whatever may yield some semblance of result in the interim but will be counter-productive in the long-run. Our security agents MUST be less pugnacious, their heavy-handedness is counter-productive. One appreciates the precarious permutations of fighting an unknown enemy and a constantly moving target.

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The Boko Haram problem can be likened to an Igbo wise saying, ‘’one have to careful in killing a tsetse fly that perches on one’s testicles’’. If you use maximum force, it is wahala and if you leave it there, it’s also dangerous.

Similarly a ‘siddon-look’ or defensive strategy makes the government appear weak and will whip up public anger as is currently the case in Nigeria. Defensive strategy may have been popular hundreds of years ago especially in conventional warfare but not these days.

Analysts and experts concur that a potpourri of proactive intelligence surveillance/gathering is a viable tool that can prevent terrorism. The United States government understands these challenges hence they are advocating for a ‘’multi-faceted approach’’ to the Boko Haram quandary.

A terrorist cell or network can be infiltrated and dissidents from within the network can be used to get to the leadership of the group. This prognostication is valid because it is contrary to human nature for everyone in a group to agree all the time. It is not every member of the choir that sings with the same passion. By partnering with dissidents, break-away factions or by extracting sensitive information from arrested members of a terrorist network, their plans can be thwarted.

There must be programmes put in place by the government (massive enlightenment campaign is one of them) that will dissuade would-be terrorists and criminals/kidnappers from resorting to these acts. All hands must be on deck to ensure that acute poverty, hopelessness, unemployment and religious fundamentalism etc are curtailed. Good governance will go a long way in exterminating insecurity and terrorism.

There must be systems to monitor and evaluate long-term attitudinal impact. The United Nations Counterterrorism Committee advocates countries to have comprehensive national strategies that include countering incitement motivated by extremism and intolerance. The United Nations Security Council resolution 1624 (2005) calls on member States to prohibit and prevent incitement to commit terrorists acts.

In the same vein, the United Nations Counterterrorism Implementation Task Force (UN-CTITF) also recommends promotion of public-private partnerships. It posits that developing partnerships with the private sector especially where State resources are

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limited. A typical example is Russia that developed partnerships with both the business community and the civil society to protect vulnerable targets.

SECTION 15: NEED FOR INTER-AGENCY SYNERGY & RECRUITMENT OF TALENTED INDIVIDUALS

Rather than inter-agency rivalry, there must be synergy and unhindered information sharing between the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), the State Security Service (SSS), and other Security arms of government. The Security agencies must also interface and mesh with individuals who may be privy to goings-on around by virtue of their contacts and expertise. Informal security and intelligence networks in schools, work places, markets, motor parks, beer parlors etc must be established and strengthened. Ever wonder why United States Security establishments are headhunting individuals that are fluent in Arabic, Hausa and even Igbo languages?

Many countries have their way of identifying young and talented individuals even from high (Secondary) schools. Those smart geeks are wooed into enlisting or working for the Security Services of their fatherland. It is saddening that in Nigeria, I stand contradicted, currently there is 7/10 probability a prospective enlistee into the NIA, NDA, NAF, NN, NA, SSS, Police, Customs, Immigration etc must have a god-father or knows somebody who knows somebody. It’s no longer about merit or expertise; it’s about whom you know or your purchasing power. This is an open secret so there is no point over-egging the pudding.

SECTION 16: EXIGENT NEED FOR EFFICIENT INTELLIGENCE GATHERING/NETWORK

These bad guys, I mean the terrorists and criminals are not completely faceless. No matter how reclusive they are, they have friends, families etc. they communicate via phones and have internet presence (email addresses, facebook, twitter accounts etc; they buy stuff from the same market like us. So no matter how meticulous and savvy they are, they cannot afford to inadvertently leave behind potential ‘forensic fingerprint’ trails via their call logs, their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses etc.

A solid intelligence network/gathering and an attitudinal change will to a large extent nip insecurity and terrorism in the bud. Rather than been reactionary, proactiveness must be our watch-word. An Igbo proverb opines ‘’it is of no use brining out your kegs to fetch water after the rain must have stopped’’. Osama Bin Laden was larger than life and almost invincible for several years until he was exterminated through a cobweb of American Intelligence network. Nigerian government goes ballistics anytime the United States or other European countries issues travel/security alerts to their citizens concerning Nigeria. It is not unlikely that some of these foreign countries

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have a good grip on goings-on in Nigeria. Recall that prior to the escalation of the Boko Haram quagmire; the United States government has consistently warned that something was in the offing but we always dismiss such warnings.

Nigeria is in dire need of a National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and a State Security Service (SSS) that will rival the CIA and the FBI. Nigeria’s NIA, SSS, DMI etc needs to do a lot of work. They must be proactive and do away with their knee-jerk approach. These Intelligence organizations need to be overhauled and peopled with competent staff. Those who have no business there do not have any business being there.

SECTION 17: MY PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS STAMPING OUT INSECURITY/TERRORISM

As I said earlier, this piece of writing and advocacy is borne out of my love, passion and my quest to contribute my little quota towards national development and making the society a better and safer place. I profoundly appreciate the fact that Security is a collective responsibility; we don’t leave it to the government or Security agencies alone. So I am also walking the talk through an organization that I am involved with. ‘’Nigerians Unite Against Insecurity and Terrorism’’ (NUAIT) is an umbrella body peopled with non-religious, detribalized, patriotic and passionate Nigerians in the nooks and cranny of Nigeria that yearn to make Nigeria a safer place. We want a Nigeria that is SAFE, PEACEFUL and where ALL her citizens irrespective of their ethnic and religious background, have a sense of belonging. We want a Nigeria where JUSTICE and EQUITY reigns supreme; a Nigeria that has a zero-tolerance for CORRUPTION, NEPOTISM and TRIBAL JINGOISM.

The aims and objectives of ‘’Nigerians Unite Against Insecurity and Terrorism’’ (NUAIT) encompasses: interfacing with and complimenting the efforts of government security agencies and other bodies in tackling Insecurity and Terrorism especially as it pertains to public enlightenment, education and advocacy. We try to raise the level of Security Consciousness and participation of fellow Nigerians through our enlightenment programs. Generally, we try to fan the embers of Unity, Understanding and Love amongst Nigerians.

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SECTION 18: CONCLUSION

All the aforementioned factors are intertwined; the sporadic interplay of them can have unprecedented and unpredictable butterfly effect on our stability and security as a Nation.

It is not enough for the National Assembly to pass a law criminalizing acts of terrorism and apportioning punishments/penalties. The prospect of a punishment does not necessarily deter an individual or a group hell-bent on committing a crime or atrocity.

A Terrorism/Counterterrorism Policy and Strategy is a sine qua non ingredient of the war on terror. It is a template that defines the rules of engagement; encompasses measures to forestall or nip terrorism in the bud; spells out the roles of the various arms of the security agencies and response should an incident take place.

Ask a typical ten-year old American and they will tell you that their country does not negotiate with a terrorist. What will an average Nigerian say is our own National Policy towards terrorism?

Of a truth, we don’t have to ‘’copy and paste’’ any country’s terrorism or counterterrorism policy because the dynamics are different but we can articulate a Policy that underscores the nitty-gritty and addresses the sine qua non of insecurity/terrorism in Nigeria.

Security is a collective responsibility; let all hands be on deck. Nigerians Unite Against Insecurity and Terrorism. Let’s make Nigeria great again! Hear it! See it! Say it! Stop it!!!

God bless Nigeria and Nigerians.

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SECTION 19:

Author’s Contact Details:

Don Okereke(Security Analyst & Consultant)

Abuja, NigeriaEmail: [email protected]

Phone: +2347080008285

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mailto:[email protected]

comprehensive assessment of the insecurity & terrorism challenges in nigeria and recommendations

Documents

nigeria section

insecurity terrorism

introduction section

israel section

conclusion section

bud section

comprehensive terrorism

terrorism law