Tackling insecurity in Northeast

After a regional summit to deliberate on the security challenges facing the Northeast, governors have indicted the Federal Government for not showing enough commitment to ending the Boko Haram insurgency. They agreed to set up a joint security outfit to combat insecurity. DAVID ADENUGA reports

 

There are fears over the spike in the rate of banditry, pastoralists’-farmers’ conflicts, kidnapping, insurgency, armed robbery and terrorism in the Northeast geo-political zone. Governors of the region met recently in Bauchi, the Bauchi State capital, to find a way to protect their people. The Bauchi forum was the fourth in the series of such meetings.

Those present at the meeting were Governors Babagana Zulum (Borno); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Inuwa Yaya (Gombe); Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa); Darius Ishaku (Taraba), represented by Deputy Governor Haruna Manu and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), represented by his deputy, Idi Gubana.

The governors indicted the Federal Government for not showing commitment to ending the insurgency ravaging the region. As a result, they have resolved to form a regional security outfit to help in tackling the challenges.

The chairman of the forum, Governor Zulum expressed concern over the recent escalation of insecurity in the region. He said state governments must accept the reality of the situation and address it headlong. He said the civilian joint task force in the Northeast would form the basis for the regional security outfit, adding that in doing so, they must consult with the military and the Nigeria Police Force.

He said: ‘’In addition to the logical, logistical and financial support we have been rendering to the armed forces in their fight against general insecurity in the sub-region, we should also look into the possibility of forming a security outfit within the ambit of constitutional precedence and operational feasibility as has been done in other parts of the country.”

Zulum, a professor of Soil and Water Engineering, urged the Federal Government to also seek the support of mercenaries to combat terrorism, noting that the country’s military might not be able to crush the terrorists. He also urged the government to urgently convert the boarding schools in the North to day schools to stop the trend of abduction arising from lack of adequate security.

He said the lack of security measures led to the recent mass abduction of pupils in Katsina, Niger and Zamfara states. To him, the zone is battling banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, gender-based violence and youth restiveness.

Lamenting the devastating effects of insurgency in Borno State, he said: “It is regrettable that for seven weeks now, the entire Borno State has been cut off from the national grid for electricity power supply due to the damage done to the mainline of supply to the area.”

He called for a new set of pragmatic and result-oriented initiatives to subdue the terrorists.

Zulum said: “The government should also seek support from neighbouring countries such as Chad, Cameroon and Niger, with a view to providing a joint action that will look into the possibility of ending this crisis. The Federal Government has to look into the possibility of involving mercenaries, with a view to ending this insurgency because it seems that the commitment is not there.

“Therefore, to end this insurgency, we must be committed enough; we must bring in external support to ensure that mercenaries are hired to end this insurgency.

“On our part, in addition to the logistic and financial support, we are rendering to the armed forces in their fight against general insecurity in the sub-region, we should also look into the possibility of forming a security outfit within the ambit of constitutional precedent and operational feasibility, as has been done in other parts of the country.”

Zulum advised the new service chiefs to device new strategies to counter attacks by insurgents and forestall future attacks in the region. He said: “This challenge ranges from the seemingly unending issue of insecurity, banditry and kidnapping, to cattle rustling, and from gender-based violence to youth restiveness.”

However, while delivering his speech, the host of the forum, Governor Mohammed harped on state policing, saying there is a compelling need for it. Although, his stand does not represent the position of the Northeast governors, Mohammed said the recent escalation in the activities of terrorists, “despite the sacrifices of members of our gallant forces, is quite worrisome and challenging”.

He added: “The mindless massacre of 100 farmers in Zabarmari village of Borno State, the spate of fatal attacks and kidnapping in various states of the zone, particularly Taraba State, all point to the need to  rejig the security architecture deployed to counter the criminals.”

Describing state police as the solution, Mohammed said: “Instead of playing the ostrich, we must accept the fact that our over-centralised internal security arrangement is an obsolete tool for tackling the monstrous life and death scenario playing out in the country, especially our region.

“If the call for the establishment of state police had yielded result, the mushrooming of security outfits would have been avoided. It’s better late than never. What’s needed is the courage and sincerity to take the decision decisively and it should be taken today.”

Mohammed said security must be fortified in the Northeast, warning that if Maiduguri is captured by insurgents, the zone will fall into the hands of terrorists. The governor described security as the greatest test of leadership, lamenting that insecurity underscored the failure of the government.

He said the clamour for the establishment of state police will foster security. He also observed that the existing over-centralised security arrangement is outdated and grossly inadequate, adding that an innovative policing system is required.

He urged for urgent action, stressing that the delay in setting up a decentralised policing could be dangerous. He said state police would complement the efforts of the federal police and offer wider police protection to citizens.

Mohammed noted that Nigeria should stop deluding itself into thinking that insurgency had been technically defeated.

At the communique later issued at the end of the meeting, the resolutions of the governors are as follows: “The forum appreciates the reinforced efforts in the fight against insurgency and other forms of criminalities in the sub-region.

“However, it strongly feels the need for community policing and sub-regional security outfit to complement the efforts of the military and other federal security agencies in addressing these challenges.

“The forum deliberated extensively on the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project and noted with dismay, that the project as important as it is to Nigeria and the Northeast sub-region only exists on paper but in reality, even the project has not commenced. The forum, therefore, calls on the Federal Government to accord the project the desired seriousness because of its anticipated impact in turning around the fortunes of the sub-region and the country at large.

“The forum notes the need to be aggressive in repositioning education in the sub-region and resolved to form the Northeast Council on Education, with the mandate to improve quality and performance of students, set up peer review, and collate data to drive decision-making on education, including performance, admissions, regulatory framework, human resource management and digitalization among others. This council is to be chaired by the Bauchi State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Aliyu Tilde.

“The forum noted that the zone remains short-changed in Capital Appropriation in 2021 budget. While recognizing that the budget is already passed and signed into law, in view of the precarious situation of the sub-region with the fact that the region requires aggressive infrastructural intervention to defeat the insurgency and build the resilience of the communities, there is a need to make adequate allocation for capital projects for the sub-region in the build-up to the supplementary budget, which is the only appropriation window to redress the apparent injustice to the region.

“The forum notes with thanks the selection of some roads in the sub-region to benefit from the Presidential Executive Order 07, to be constructed by Dangote Group and Lafarge/Ashaka. However, the Forum advise there should be value in implementation of the projects, while calling on the authorities concerned to maintain consultations with the sub-nationals, especially State Governments while choosing beneficiaries of such Orders in the future;

“The forum, after meeting with the British High Commissioner in Nigeria resolved to work with the United Kingdom Government in all the areas beneficial to the sub-region without compromising the sovereignty of Nigeria. The forum also acknowledged works of the Great Green Wall in the sub-region, but called on the agency to develop a framework for regional/state partnership. This would engender robust collaboration with the sub-nationals and produce maximum impact.

“The forum notes with dismay the scourge of substance abuse in the sub-region. It therefore resolved to collaborate with the Substance Abuse Research Team (SART), through the secretaries of the various state governments to fight the scourge.

“The forum reiterated its support for the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and urged it to fast track the process of development of a masterplan for its activities within the sub-region. It also enjoined the commission to work closely with the state governments on areas of intervention. This would aid priority identification, close the needs gap and support project implementation.

“The forum considered the prospect for oil exploration in the region and resolved to have specialized institutions to provide the required local contents in the oil and gas industry. It commended the Bauchi and Gombe State Governments for establishing the Oil and Gas Academy for Human Capital Development.

“Having security outfit means they are taking the place of the national security; that’s the police and the military, as you know the Northeast is a fragile area, but the masses opinion also ought to be sought. In my own personal opinion, I don’t support the idea, just like I did not support the establishment of Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), codenamed Operation Amotekun (Leopard). Is there any long-term plan for it? What happens after a governor vacates his office and his successor takes over, will the initiative still continue. “

Meanwhile, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeder’s Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has warned that the move  by  the Northeast governors is a sign that all is not well with the country.

Its Bauchi State chairman, Alhaji Sadiq Ahmed said the Federal Government has failed in its responsibility to secure Nigerians. He warned that there will be a divisive Nigeria if care is not taking.

Sadiq said though the Northeast governors are following in the footsteps of their Southwest counterparts, who established the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun), the move may spell doom for the country.

Although, he said since the Federal Government has failed in his responsibility, Northeast are left with no choice than to join the ‘“politics of self-protection”.

He said: “The Federal Government has failed in its responsibility towards the Northeast. It is now left for the governors to consider setting up their own regional police. The implication is that the unity of this country is at stake. We run a centralized system of government when all the tiers of government must be answerable to the Federal Government. Security is henceforth under its control but when the state government decides to run its own security outfit, as far as I am concerned, we shall soon have a divisive Nigeria.

“Let the Federal Government take up its responsibility by controlling the security of this country because we are on the verge of disintegration. The masses are in problem because every region his trying to protect its own interest. The signal being passed is not a good one; we are sitting on a time bomb. Looking at 2023 where we don’t know where the political wind will blow.’’

Sadiq said the concept of local and native police existed in Nigeria until 1968 when they were merged with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). He said historically, Nigeria had regional and local native police forces that operated alongside the federal police. He said it was the Ironsi administration that changed the status quo, after complaints of their massive corrupt practices. The Ironsi Administration, he added, empanelled a group of experts to advise the government.

In its report, the panel concluded that the local and native police forces have become tools in the hands of local politicians and traditional rulers to extort, harass, and kill opponents. They also complained about the impunity that is displayed by these local forces.

The Miyetti Allah chairman said the panel recommended the disbandment of the local forces and merging them with the federal police. The merger, he added, was eventually completed in 1968.

Sadiq said state or regional police is not new in Nigeria. He added: “We have been here before, but it did not work. They will simply become tools in the hands of our unscrupulous local politicians as was the case in the past.’’