Dr Olufemi Adelusi

The worsening situation of insecurity in Nigeria has brought two options disintegration or true federalism. Nigeria has been at a similar juncture many times in her existence. You often hear that the Abacha administration was the last Head of State of a federation called Nigeria. At another time, it was the President Obasanjo administration, later it was the turn of President Jonathan and now the clouds are seen as dark with the level of insecurity pervasive. Talks are now about President Buhari been probably, the very last President of a united Nigeria. Institutional analysis comes to mind. By institutional analysis, what readily comes to mind are, the National Assembly, the Courts, the Federal System, the Press, and the Civil Service. Nigeria has her share of various shades of insecurity, ranging from banditry, stealing, looting, organized crimes, kidnappings, and thuggery to ethnic herdsmen killings and kidnappings. There were two poles of worse insecurity shaking Nigeria between 2007 and 2015. In the North East, there were the local religious fanatics termed the Boko Harams, growing between 2007 and 2015; in the South -South area, there were prevalent kidnappings of white engineers from their working sites. These victims were initially white engineers. This situation festered a little longer till 2019 when the most dangerous angle became introduced. There were coordinated massive movements of initially jobless youths from the Northern States to the Southern States. When accosted by security checks on their routes, the explanation was that they are helping hands on the farms!!! Without being vigilant, these would be herdsmen with guns -killers were allowed free access to the Southern States. The insecurity became worsened by the time these so-called Fulani Herdsmen wielding AK47 rifles decided to force their ways to natural forests in their localities, raping and killing, wives and husbands along the way. Every State became terrorised by these AK 47 wielding Fulani herdsmen. Certain questions arise. In what ways were governance at all levels of government, Local, State, and Federal deeply affected by the pervading insecurity of human lives and properties? Has the ethnic group affiliation -Fulani of Nigeria’s President a major contribution to his inept management of Nigeria’s ethnic diversity? And finally, is Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution adequate to firmly rein in all the forces of disintegration apparent in Nigeria? To analyze these, this study has been organized into four sections, namely, Section one is the Abstract, Section Two is the Introduction, Section Three is Military versus Political, and True Federalism Options to finding Solutions., Section Four, is Conclusion. In this study, an institutional approach has been privileged for our analysis.

III- MILITARY VERSUS POLITICAL AND TRUE FEDERALISM INSTITUTIONAL OPTIONS

When we talk of the institutional approach, what will readily come to mind are the National Assembly, the Courts, the Federal System, the Press, and the Civil Service. Yes, these represent the main institutions of the State. Talking about the worsening insecurity in Nigeria, in one of Nigeria’s President Muhammed Buhari’s answers to about two State Governors complaining about insecurity in their States, he was reported to have answered them with the question, what have you done with your Vigilantes, Locally organized Street to Street security arrangements? In short, his idea is that each level of governance, Federal, State, and Local governments is required to take charge or better still contribute to the security of Nigeria. To his credit, he has signed enabled orders permitting direct Payment to the Local Governments as a level of government. Councillors of Local Government are singing his praise now. The flak to this is that there is no legal constitutional backing to State or Local government Police. This lacuna has punctured the efforts of independent actions at arresting arms toting herdsmen kidnapping, raping, and killing people.

In what ways were governance at all levels of government, Local, State, and Federal deeply affected by the pervading insecurity to human lives and properties? Has the ethnic group affiliation -Fulani of Nigeria’s President a major contribution to his inept management of Nigeria’s ethnic diversity? And finally, is Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution adequate to firmly rein in all the forces of disintegration apparent in Nigeria? The use of military force to confront Boko Haram insurgents, that have been harassing, killing, and kidnapping people has been an aspect of the governmental engagement. A non-governmental initiative by a popular cleric proposing peaceful engagement and appeasement strategy with the Boko Harams combatants has polarised observers.

An Emir of Muri, an emirate council of importance in the Northern part of Nigeria was reported to have warned the so-called Foreign Fulani Herdsmen and Bandits roaming about the location. He vowed to face them ruthlessly if they cross their boundaries. Here is a Fulani man who acknowledged the fact that those dangerous Fulani herdsmen and bandits could be indeed outsiders. He summed up the courage to organise community affront to the foreigners. Certainly, if every local community could be bold to organize itself with some support from their local council and State government, it will checkmate these marauders.

It is important at this juncture to say that these foreign Fulani herdsmen and bandits could have been invited and motivated to invade Nigeria just in the form of foreign legions by a combination of a local Politician and foreign backers hoping for political gain. The embittered loser in the 2019 Presidential Elections is a Fulani man. His backers hoping for economic and commercial gain from his probable win are the French companies in the oil and gas sector! Solving Nigeria’s banditry and kidnaping can only respond to a combination of dialogue, intelligence gathering, and social engineering backed up by military presence.

True Federalism in which the six federated zones become agreed and recognized units for the federal system will best help the unity in diversity possibility. For our analysis to take a cue from the current agitations for self-governance and separation, the southwest zone mainly constituted by the Yoruba unless otherwise amended could become Oduduwa State, the southeast zone mainly habited by the Igbo now becomes the Biafra State, and other Zones after discussions and acceptance could become the other States. The current units called States could still function but with coordination from the zonal quarters. The Police become Federal, Zonal and States organisations controlled by authorities at those levels. Fiscal federalism must be subject to agreement and readjustments. The Political Institutions will now become highly modified. The Federal may retain mainly the Senate with equal representation of the Zones. The Zones with the House of Assemblies for the zones. A very important consequence of these changes in Nigeria’s insecurity is that there will be more enlistment of people in the different levels of policing. Attention would now be given to local policing.

IV- CONCLUSION

More Nigerians are understanding that the facts of insecurity in Nigeria cannot be resolved by two choices; of disintegration or True Federalism. Many ethnic groups in Nigeria are better off inside a federation called Nigeria than become another micro ethnic group under another Major ethnic group dominated micro-Country.

In essence, the worsening insecurity situation in Nigeria has become over exaggerated by the Social Media. The various giant infrastructure gaps that the current administration has been filling, the focused redirection of Nigeria’s priorities as well as repositioning of the various Federal Ministries and Institutions are left to be dwarfed by the negative Social Media narratives. Even the Economist journal of the UK has added itself to the cacophony of wailers condemning the leadership that has not been found corrupt but refused to allow foreigners to plunder Nigeria’s economy under his supervision. Oh, the insecurity situation in Nigeria has come to overshadow all the giant strides been undertaking by the President M. Buhari. Whoever has imported foreign Fulani herdsmen and bandits among the Nigeria’s Northern States governors in collaboration with failed Fulani Presidential candidate and his foreign financial interests backing him. One of the herdsmen caught vowed over his dead body if he was not commissioned by government official from one of the Northern States. Trailers loaded with so-called unemployed youths were intercepted several times from the North going to the South of Nigeria. These arrests took place long time before the incidences of the so-called herdsmen and bandits. A pointer to a fact that a coordinated action must have been taken to bring these people in trailer loads. There were coordinated massive movements of initially jobless youths from the Northern States to the Southern States. When accosted by security checks on their routes, the explanation was that they are helping hands on the farms!!! Without being vigilant, these would be herdsmen with guns -killers were allowed free access to the Southern States

Finally, Solving Nigeria’s banditry and kidnaping can only respond to a combination of dialogue, intelligence gathering, and social engineering backed up by military presence. There are some questions that are not easily dismissible; why is it difficult for President M. Buhari to respond to the cries of Nigerians from all 6 geopolitical zones about the rampaging, kidnapping. raping and killing by imported Fulani herdsmen and bandits? Why are the Directorate of Secret Services (DSS), the Nigerian Police establishment, and the three armed services, Army, Navy, and Air forces seemly deaf and dumb to reports of all the gross insecurity around them? Finally, Can President Buhari and his close advisers, the All Progressive Party his ruling claim not to understand that all the developmental strides being taken by the administration in terms of infrastructure, and others are being overshadowed by negative vibes, evil thought and talks generating inter and intra ethnic tensions pulling Nigeria to disintegration?

II- INTRODUCTION

The worsening situation of insecurity in Nigeria has brought two options disintegration or true federalism. Nigeria has been at a similar juncture many times in her existence. You often hear that then Abacha administration was the last Head of State of a federation called Nigeria. At another time, it was the President Obasanjo administration, later it was the turn of President Jonathan and now the clouds are seen as dark with the level of insecurity pervasive. Talks are now about President Buhari been probably, the very last President of a united Nigeria. The institutional analysis comes to mind. By institutional analysis, what readily comes to mind are, the National Assembly, the Courts, the Federal System, the Press and the Civil Service. Nigeria has her share of various shades of insecurity, ranging from banditry, stealing, looting, organized crimes, kidnappings, and thuggery to ethnic herdsmen killings and kidnappings. There were two poles of worse insecurity shaking Nigeria between 2007 and 2015. In the North East, there were the local religious fanatics termed the Boko Harams, growing between 2007 and 2015; in the South-South area, there were prevalent kidnappings of white engineers from their working sites. These victims were initially white engineers. This situation festered a little longer till 2019 when the most dangerous angle became introduced. There were coordinated massive movements of initially jobless youths from the Northern States to the Southern States. When accosted by security checks on their routes, the explanation was that they are helping hands on the farms!!! Without being vigilant, these would be herdsmen with guns -killers were allowed free access to the Southern States. The insecurity became worsened by the time these so-called Fulani Herdsmen wielding AK47 rifles decided to force their ways to natural forests in their localities, raping and killing, wives and husbands along the way. Every State became terrorized by these AK 47 wielding Fulani herdsmen. Certain questions arise. In what ways were governance at all levels of government, Local, State, and Federal deeply affected by the pervading insecurity of human lives and properties? Has the ethnic group affiliation -Fulani of Nigeria’s President a major contribution to his inept management of Nigeria’s ethnic diversity? And finally, is Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution adequate to firmly rein in all the forces of disintegration apparent in Nigeria? To analyse these, this study has been organized into four sections, namely, Section one is the Abstract, Section Two is the Introduction, Section Three is Military versus Political, and True Federalism Options to finding Solutions., Section Four, is Conclusion. In this study, an institutional approach has been privileged for our analysis.

III- MILITARY VERSUS POLITICAL AND TRUE FEDERALISM INSTITUTIONAL OPTIONS

When we talk of the institutional approach, what will readily come to mind are the National Assembly, the Courts, the Federal System, the Press, and the Civil Service. Yes, these represent the main institutions of the State. Talking about the worsening insecurity in Nigeria, in one of Nigeria’s President Muhammed Buhari’s answers to about two State Governors complaining about insecurity in their States, he was reported to have answered them with the question, what have you done with your Vigilantes, Locally organized Street to Street security arrangements? In short, his idea is that each level of governance, Federal, State, and Local governments is required to take charge or better still contribute to the security of Nigeria. To his credit, he has signed enabled orders permitting direct Payment to the Local Governments as a level of government. Councilors of Local Government are singing his praise now. The flak to this is that there is no legal constitutional backing to State or Local government Police. This lacuna has punctured the efforts of independent actions at arresting arms toting herdsmen kidnapping, raping, and killing people.

In what ways were governance at all levels of government, Local, State, and Federal deeply affected by the pervading insecurity of human lives and properties? Has the ethnic group affiliation -Fulani of Nigeria’s President a major contribution to his inept management of Nigeria’s ethnic diversity? And finally, is Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution adequate to firmly rein in all the forces of disintegration apparent in Nigeria? The use of military force to confront Boko Haram insurgents, that have been harassing, killing, and kidnapping people has been an aspect of the governmental engagement. A non-governmental initiative by a popular cleric proposing peaceful engagement and appeasement strategy with the Boko Harams combatants, has polarised observers.

An Emir of Muri, an emirate council of importance in the Northern part of Nigeria was reported to have warned the so-called Foreign Fulani Herdsmen and Bandits roaming about the location. He vowed to face them ruthlessly if they cross their boundaries. Here is a Fulani man who acknowledged the fact that those dangerous Fulani herdsmen and bandits could be indeed outsiders. He summed up the courage to organize community affront to the foreigners. Certainly, if every local community could be bold to organize itself with some support with their local council and State government, it will checkmate these marauders.

It is important at this juncture to say that these foreign Fulani herdsmen and bandits could have been invited and motivated to invade Nigeria just in the form of foreign legions by a combination of a local Politician and foreign backers hoping for political gain. The embittered looser in the 2019 Presidential Elections is a Fulani man. His backers hoping for economic and commercial gain from his probable win are the French companies in the oil and gas sector! Solving Nigeria’s banditry and kidnaping can only respond to a combination of dialogue, intelligence gathering, and social engineering backed up by military presence.

True Federalism in which the six federated zones become agreed and recognized units for the federal system will best help the unity in diversity possibility. For our analysis to take a cue from the current agitations for self-governance and separation, the southwest zone mainly constituted by the Yoruba unless otherwise amended could become Oduduwa State, the southeast zone mainly habited by the Igbo now becomes the Biafra State, and other Zones after discussions and acceptance could become the other States. The current units called States could still function but with coordination from the zonal quarters. The Police becomes Federal, Zonal, and States organisations controlled by authorities at those levels. Fiscal federalism must be subject to agreement and readjustments. The Political Institutions will now become highly modified. The Federal may retain mainly the Senate with equal representation of the Zones. The Zones with the House of Assemblies for the zones. A very important consequence of these changes in Nigeria’s insecurity is that there will be more enlistment of people in the different levels of policing. Attention would now be given to local policing.

IV- CONCLUSION

More Nigerians are understanding that the facts of insecurity in Nigeria cannot be resolved by two choices; disintegration or True Federalism. Many ethnic groups in Nigeria are better off inside a federation called Nigeria than become another micro ethnic group under another Major ethnic group dominated micro-Country.

In essence, the worsening insecurity situation in Nigeria has become over exaggerated by the Social Media. The various giant infrastructure gaps that the current administration has been filling, the focused re direction of Nigeria’s priorities as well as repositioning of the various Federal Ministries and Institutions are left to be dwarfed by the negative Social Media narratives. Even the Economist journal of the UK has added itself to the cacophony of wailers condemning the leadership that has not been found corrupt but refused to allow foreigners to plunder Nigeria’s economy under his supervision. Oh, the insecurity situation in Nigeria has come to overshadow all the giant strides being undertaken by President M. Buhari. Whoever has imported foreign Fulani herdsmen and bandits among the Nigeria’s Northern States governors in collaboration with failed Fulani Presidential candidate and his foreign financial interests backing him. One of the herdsmen caught vowed over his dead body if he was not commissioned by government official from one of the Northern States. Trailers loaded with so called unemployed youths were intercepted several times from the North going to the South of Nigeria. These arrests took place long time before the incidences of the so-called herdsmen and bandits. A pointer to a fact that a coordinated action must have been taken to bring these people in trailer loads. There were coordinated massive movements of initially jobless youths from the Northern States to the Southern States. When accosted by security checks on their routes, the explanation was that they are helping hands on the farms!!! Without being vigilant, these would be herdsmen with guns -killers were allowed free access to the Southern States

Finally, Solving Nigeria’s banditry and kidnaping can only respond to a combination of dialogue, intelligence gathering, and social engineering backed up by military presence. There are some questions that are not easily dismissible; why is it difficult for President M. Buhari to respond to the cries of Nigerians from all 6 geopolitical zones about the rampaging, kidnapping. raping and killing by imported Fulani herdsmen and bandits? Why are the Directorate of Secret Services (DSS), the Nigerian Police establishment, and the three armed services, Army, Navy and Air forces seemly deaf and dumb to reports of all the gross insecurity around them? Finally, Can President Buhari and his close advisers, the All Progressive Party his ruling claim not to understand that all the developmental strides being taken by the administration in terms of infrastructure, and others are being overshadowed by negative vibes, evil thought and talks generating inter and intra ethnic tensions pulling Nigeria to disintegration?

Dr Olufemi Adelusi

Thursday, 31 March 2022

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