Security has remained in the forefront of many discourses in Nigeria for so many years now; the nation has been dogged with challenges such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and communal clashes. Dealing with all these would be the key task of the present administration under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure safety and stability for all citizens of Nigeria.
EVOLVING SECURITY LANDSCAPE
Nigeria’s security situation has tremendously changed in the past two decades. The country has witnessed the rise of insurgent groups in the northeast, like Boko Haram, whose violent activities
have claimed thousands of lives and left millions homeless. In the Northwest, banditry has risen whereby armed groups attack villages to steal cattle and kidnap people for ransom. The south, especially the Niger Delta, has also had its share of militancy and crimes associated with oil, although there has been a decline in violence lately.
This is further complicated by another growing issue: communal clashes, most of them between herders and farmers. With competition over land and resources, such conflicts have been responsible for a good number of killings and property destruction, mostly in the Middle Belt. Likewise, crime crept into the urban areas in the forms of armed robbery, cybercrime, gang violence.
THE TINUBU PRESIDENCY APPROACH
Since assumption of office in May 2023, President Tinubu has accorded the security issue much priority,
understanding that without peace, other development goals cannot be realized. The administration approach to ending insecurity in Nigeria can be summarized under some key strategies:
REFORM OF THE MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
First among the actions taken by the administration was the reshaping of the leadership at the military and law enforcement agencies. New service chiefs were appointed with strict instructions to give a new impetus to the fight against insurgency and banditry. These appointments were followed by increased funding and better equipment for the military, aiming at improving its capacity to respond to threats. Moreover, the provocation to reform the Nigeria Police Force has been done. This involves more training for the police officers and additional recruitment to increase the number of forces, considering community policing that would improve the relations between the police and the community.
REGIONAL COOPERATION
It has required vigorous efforts toward strengthening regional cooperation. In this context, he has been in close contact with neighboring countries to consider countering Boko Haram and other
terrorist groups at large, especially in the Lake Chad Basin area. A strategy that has included two critical aspects: joint military operations and intelligence sharing. Eradicating the Cause of Insecurity
The government has also come to the realization that the Nigeria security problems are not such that
can be solved by military means alone. Consequently, some major steps have been taken to address the causes of insecurity: poverty, unemployment, and social injustice. Programs like the National Social Investment Program have been strengthened to provide economic opportunities, especially for
youths, who are usually the targets that most criminal groups recruit.
This includes heightened efforts in education and health care, particularly in the areas most affected by insecurity. With access to these basic services improved, the government hopes to reduce the factors that drive people into criminal activities.
TECHNOLOGY AND INTELLIGENCE GATHERING
The Tinubu administration has also embraced technology in crime-fighting. This includes the use of drones for surveillance in remote areas, improved communication systems for its military
and police, and investment in the area of cybersecurity to fight online fraud and cybercrime, which is on the rise. Some of the money went towards intelligence gathering and analysis, aware that timely and accurate information is very instrumental in preempting and reacting to security threats.
THE CHALLENGES AND CRITICISMS
Notwithstanding these efforts, there has been a good number of criticism from many quarters. Others believe that the government is slow, explicitly noted in this respect with the inability to stem the tide of banditry that has ravaged the Northwest. Others have argued that there is nothing being done much
to stem the tide of the causative factor for insecurity, particularly corruption amongst security forces.
Abuses by security forces have also been a concern, with reports of extrajudicial killings and unlawful detentions. This has naturally generated calls for greater accountability, transparency in the manner military and police operations are carried out.
THE WAY FORWARD
The security challenges Nigeria is facing are enormous and multifaceted, and very easy solutions to these problems do not exist. However, the Tinubu-led administration has shown commitment to grappling directly with these problems. Further reforms in the security sector, solving the underlying
causes of crime, and embracing new technologies may yet usher in a more hopeful future for the situation. For many Nigerians, security remains not only national policy but a daily concern. While the administration will surely forge on with its efforts, it shall continuously need to have the trust and support of the very people whom it serves. Only through collaborative and relentless effort can one hope that the nation will be able to surmount the security challenges confronting it and achieve a safer, more prosperous future for all its people. Security has remained in the forefront of many discourses in Nigeria for so many years now; the nation has been dogged with challenges such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and communal clashes.
Dealing with all these would be the key task of the present administration under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure safety and stability for all citizens of Nigeria.
EVOLVING SECURITY LANDSCAPE
Nigeria’s security situation has tremendously changed in the past two decades. The country has witnessed the rise of insurgent groups in the northeast, like Boko Haram, whose violent activities
have claimed thousands of lives and left millions homeless. In the Northwest, banditry has risen whereby armed groups attack villages to steal cattle and kidnap people for ransom. The south, especially the Niger Delta, has also had its share of militancy and crimes associated with oil, although there has been a decline in violence lately.
This is further complicated by another growing issue: communal clashes, most of them between herders and farmers. With competition over land and resources, such conflicts have been responsible for a good number of killings and property destruction, mostly in the Middle Belt. Likewise, crime crept into the urban areas in the forms of armed robbery, cybercrime, gang violence.
THE TINUBU PRESIDENCY APPROACH
Since assumption of office in May 2023, President Tinubu has accorded the security issue much priority, understanding that without peace, other development goals cannot be realized. The administration
approach to ending insecurity in Nigeria can be summarized under some key strategies:
REFORM OF THE MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
First among the actions taken by the administration was the reshaping of the leadership at the military and law enforcement agencies. New service chiefs were appointed with strict instructions to give a new impetus to the fight against insurgency and banditry. These appointments were followed by increased funding and better equipment for the military, aiming at improving its capacity to
respond to threats. Moreover, the provocation to reform the Nigeria Police Force has been done.
This involves more training for the police officers and additional recruitment to increase the number of forces, considering community policing that would improve the relations between the police and the
community.
REGIONAL COOPERATION
It has required vigorous efforts toward strengthening regional cooperation. In this context, he has been in close contact with neighboring countries to consider countering Boko Haram and other terrorist groups at large, especially in the Lake Chad Basin area. A strategy that has included two
critical aspects: joint military operations and intelligence sharing. Eradicating the Cause of Insecurity
The government has also come to the realization that the Nigeria security problems are not such that can be solved by military means alone. Consequently, some major steps have been taken to address the causes of insecurity: poverty, unemployment, and social injustice. Programs like the National
Social Investment Program have been strengthened to provide economic opportunities, especially for youths, who are usually the targets that most criminal groups recruit. This includes heightened efforts in education and health care, particularly in the areas most affected by insecurity. With access to these basic services improved, the government hopes to reduce the factors that drive people into criminal activities.
TECHNOLOGY AND INTELLIGENCE GATHERING
The Tinubu administration has also embraced technology in crime-fighting. This includes the use of drones for surveillance in remote areas, improved communication systems for its military and police, and investment in the area of cybersecurity to fight online fraud and cybercrime, which is on the rise. Some of the money went towards intelligence gathering and analysis, aware that timely and accurate information is very instrumental in preempting and reacting to security threats.
THE CHALLENGES AND CRITICISMS
Not withstanding these efforts, there has been a good number of criticism from many quarters. Others believe that the government is slow, explicitly noted in this respect with the inability to stem the tide of banditry that has ravaged the Northwest. Others have argued that there is nothing being done much to stem the tide of the causative factor for insecurity, particularly corruption amongst security forces.
Abuses by security forces have also been a concern, with reports of extrajudicial killings and unlawful detentions. This has naturally generated calls for greater accountability, transparency in the manner
military and police operations are carried out.
THE WAY FORWARD
The security challenges Nigeria is facing are enormous and multifaceted, and very easy solutions to these problems do not exist. However, the Tinubu-led administration has shown commitment to grappling directly with these problems. Further reforms in the security sector, solving the underlying causes of crime, and embracing new technologies may yet usher in a more hopeful future for the situation. For many Nigerians, security remains not only national policy but a daily concern.
While the administration will surely forge on with its efforts, it shall continuously need to have the trust and support of the very people whom it serves. Only through collaborative and relentless effort
can one hope that the nation will be able to surmount the security challenges confronting it and achieve a safer, more prosperous future for all its people.
