The Senate’s resolve to organize a two-day national security summit in Abuja for participants from all levels of government, traditional institutions, civil society and the security sector is welcome. The security summit is coming at a time when the nation’s security challenges appear to be increasing in virtually all the six geo-political zones in the country.
The lawmakers had in the adopted motion titled, “Urgent Need for a National Security Summit” sponsored by Jimoh Ibrahim Folorunsho (Ondo South), and co-sponsored by Titus Zam Tartenger (Benue North-West), Onyeka Peter Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) and Osita Ngwu (Enugu West), expressed concern over pervasive and growing insecurity in all regions of the country. They had also decried widespread banditry, random kidnappings, terrorism and other forms of violent crimes that placed communities under siege and undermined the work of security agencies.
While commending the lawmakers for embarking on the national security summit, we believe that they should do more by making laws that will enhance the nation’s security architecture and ensure that all parts of the country and the entire citizens and foreigners in our midst are adequately protected. Since it has been proven that our current centralized policing system is highly inadequate in a federation like Nigeria, the Senate should boldly lead the charge for the establishment of not only state police but other layers of policing as obtainable in United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Canada and other federations.
Ironically, we are running a federation where the federal government is controlling 68 items on the exclusive legislative list. The lawmakers must show example by leading the crusade for the devolution of more powers from the federal government to the federating units. As federal lawmakers, the Senators have a critical role to play in enhancing the rule of law and good governance by making good laws for the country.
That is why we commend the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who recently charged his colleagues in the Senate to take urgent legislative action to address insecurity and other problems facing Nigeria. Speaking at the resumption of Senate plenary after the Easter and Eid-el-Fitr recess, Akpabio said the Senate should approach the current session with renewed purpose and a commitment to deliver meaningful change, because Nigerians and the world were watching. Akpabio’s call is a timely intervention as insecurity grows from bad to worse in Nigeria.
In recent years, the country has been buffeted by security challenges, with almost all the regions affected. No doubt, the Senate President hit the nail on the head when he highlighted the rising terrorism and criminality in the South-East and North-West; farmer-herder conflicts in the North-Central; and unresolved environmental and equity issues in the South-South. According to him, “these are not just headlines —they are the bleeding wounds of our republic. Our people look to us, not for rhetoric, but for rescue.”
In the 7th Assembly, the Senate organised a similar summit, but its recommendations were never implemented. Nigerians are fast becoming tired of wasting scarce resources on national security summits that are unproductive at the end of the day. The time has come for the government to prioritize strategies to overcome our mounting security challenges. We should stop toying with the idea of state policing. We must also increase the numerical strength of our police personnel from the present 370,000 to about one million officers and men.
We also need to increase the number of our army, navy and air force personnel as well. In view of the rising security challenges across all the zones in the country, the federal government should intentionally increase the annual defence budget and ensure timely release of funds to the relevant units for more operational effectiveness.
As chief security officers of their states, the governors should rely on state police to ensure security in their domains. Relying on the Inspector-General of Police at the centre to ensure security in their domains will not work. State governors have lamented their helplessness to act in the face of emergency in policing their states. Despite the shortcomings levelled against the creation of state police, Nigeria needs state police more than ever before to address the daunting insecurity. Only state policing can adequately guarantee security at the state level. Recent experiences have shown that states with organised vigilante groups have done better in policing communities than those without them.
Beyond holding a national security summit, let the Senate ensure that the recommendations are implemented. While confronting our security challenges with kinetic measures, we also believe that incorporating non-kinetic measures can be helpful in some instances.