Nigeria’s Security Crisis: Can New National Template Halt Killings?

The wanton killings, kidnappings, and destruction of lives and properties have dashed the hopes of Nigerians who had anticipated positive changes under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. With over 600 lives lost in Benue, Plateau, and Kaduna since his assumption of office, the urgency to address the security crisis has never been greater.

However, as Nigeria faces a resurgence of killings in various regions of the country, security experts have called for the full implementation of a new national security sector reform and governance template.

Concrete Orders for Service Chiefs:

In a chat with LEADERSHIP Weekend retired Colonel Hassan Stan-Labo stressed the need for President Bola Tinubu to provide clear job descriptions, timelines, milestones, key point indices, and resources for the newly appointed service chiefs.

Stan-Labo said without a defined plan of action, the service chiefs may struggle to make a significant impact on the escalating violence. He also called for a redefinition of the security challenges, considering social, economic, political, religious, and cultural dimensions that contribute to the crisis.

Retired Colonel Hassan Stan-Labo expressed his belief that a new approach is necessary to address the prevailing security challenges.

Stan-Labo urged them to redefine the crisis on the ground to effectively combat killings and banditry in Plateau, Kaduna, and Benue States. He stated that a comprehensive redefinition would encompass social, economic, political, religious, and cultural dimensions, enabling a clearer perspective on the security challenges at hand.

The retired colonel highlighted recent revelations about certain state governors, such as former governor El-Rufai of Kaduna State and former governor Yari of Zamfara State, advocating for amnesty for armed bandits. He cautioned the Service Chiefs to be vigilant about the potential complicity of some state chief executives in the security challenges.

Colonel Hassan Stan-Labo stressed the need for inclusive dialogue involving all stakeholders, including government representatives, community leaders, religious figures, youth groups, women’s groups, and citizens, to unearth the root causes of the recurring security problem. Such dialogues, he emphasized, should ensure that each group effectively communicates the outcomes to their respective constituents.

He further called on state governments to provide necessary support to security agencies and actively prosecute bandits and terror suspects. Community leaders were advised to establish intelligence networks, hold regular town hall meetings to review security situations, and maintain close liaison with security agencies in their areas of responsibility.

Religious leaders, in the Colonel’s view, should serve as mobilisation tools, mouthpieces, and motivators in fostering a peaceful society.

He urged the military to promote inter-service synergy, cooperation, collaboration, and coordination, while providing diverse mobility transport assets to enhance emergency response times.

To tackle the larger issues within the National Security Sector, Colonel Hassan recommended producing a comprehensive National Security Sector Reforms and Governance Template, encompassing funding, manpower, logistics, equipment, training, operations, intelligence, welfare, motivation, border protection, and surveillance.

Additionally, he called for the establishment of a robust department of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Defense Headquarters to oversee operations. Stan-Labo advocated for support and encouragement of non-kinetic efforts by field commanders to reduce the capacity of non-state actors challenging the authority of the state.

The retired colonel urged the domination of all forested and ungoverned spaces in the country and called for solutions to various national security challenges, including border protection, small and light arms proliferation, the role of veterans and vigilantes in ongoing conflicts, and fostering a culture of accountability, transparency, and integrity in governance.

A public and private security analyst and trainer, Major Banjo Daniel (Retired), expressed his view on the amnesty program for bandits and terrorists.

He clarified that the Chief of Army Staff lacks the authority to dismiss the amnesty programme, emphasising that any decision on this matter must align with the Commander In Chief’s will.

“As the Chief of Army Staff reports to the Commander In Chief through the Chief of Defence Staff, he is bound to follow the President’s directives,” he said.

Major Banjo noted the importance of hearing a clear statement from the President before ruling out any possibility of amnesty.

Major Banjo criticised the government’s approach, stating that it had become too friendly with criminal elements instead of deterring them.

He cited past incidents, including during General Buhari’s tenure, where negotiations and friendliness were observed with kidnappers and criminals. He expressed concern that accepting such abnormalities makes it difficult to return to normalcy.

The security analyst blamed religious and traditional leaders for the widespread killings and the declining value of human life.

He highlighted the need for firm action rather than mere discussions to address the escalating situation.

Major Banjo cited Asari Dokubo’s newfound rapport with the government as an example of accepting criminal elements instead of prosecuting them.

He called on the President to uphold the rule of law in handling the country’s security challenges.

Major Banjo urged the President to be detribalized and treat all criminal acts with seriousness. He stressed the importance of giving criminals a deadline to settle their differences or face consequences, without the need for negotiations.

Major Banjo asserted that the Nigerian Army has the capability to stop the killings in different regions, even though there might be collateral damage.

However, he stressed the involvement of religious and traditional leaders in encouraging criminal activities, making it difficult to resolve the issue.

He believed that accountability is necessary, and the government must display the will to put an end to the violence, avoiding negotiations and focusing on warning the perpetrators.

Concluding, Major Banjo emphasised the need to hold religious, traditional, community, and family leaders accountable for their role in the ongoing violence.

He urged the government to take a firm stand against criminal activities and avoid further negotiations.

Dr. Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi, the Secretary-General of the International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS), emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough fact-finding mission to uncover the underlying reasons behind the clashes on the Plateau.

“We must prioritize understanding the remote causes of the killings in Plateau. Is it driven by economic struggles, ethnic tensions, or religious differences?” Dr. Jabi questioned. He emphasized that the crisis on the Plateau is deeply entrenched, making stakeholder engagement essential for resolution.

“We need to convene a dialogue involving all stakeholders and inquire about the grievances that have led to this level of destruction and senseless loss of lives and properties,” Dr. Jabi stated.

He pointed out that every armed struggle eventually finds its way to the discussion table for resolution. By asking both parties about the remote causes of the crisis, whether related to religion, economy, exclusion, or other factors, a clearer understanding can be gained.

Dr. Jabi stressed that engagement with all parties involved is critical as feelings of exclusion and marginalization may be underlying factors contributing to the conflict.

He acknowledged that the situation has multiple dimensions and complexities that require thorough exploration and thoughtful dialogue to find lasting solutions.