THE WORSENING SECURITY SITUATION IN NIGERIA: A LOUD CALL FOR TRUE FEDERALISM?
BY
Patrick Olufemi Adelusi PhD
John & James
Associates (Bilingual Policy Scientists)
London. United Kingdom
patrickadelusi@jjassociates.org.uk
http://www.olufemiadelusi.blogspot.co.uk/
www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-olufemi-adelusi-a2139a76
I-
ABSTRACT
THE WORSENING SECURITY SITUATION IN NIGERIA: A LOUD CALL FOR TRUE FEDERALISM?
BY
Patrick Olufemi Adelusi PhD
John & James
Associates (Bilingual Policy Scientists)
London. United Kingdom
patrickadelusi@jjassociates.org.uk
http://www.olufemiadelusi.blogspot.co.uk/
www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-olufemi-adelusi-a2139a76
I-
ABSTRACT
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 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?