From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa has said that efforts by the military to end terrorism, insurgency and insecurity especially in North has been frustrated by the judicial system, poor-border management amongst other socio-economic challenges.
General Musa noted that the security situation in the northern part of the country is complex, and that has been working against efforts at fighting insecurity in the region.
The Army Chief spoke on Friday night in Zaria as the guest lecturer at the one-day dialogue organised by the Institute for Development Research and Training (IDR&T), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, themed “Assessing the Present Security Situation in Northern Nigeria.”
The Vice-Chancellor Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof. Kabiru Bala, said on the occasion that the university had embarked on research to resolving worrisome security challenges in the northern region in particular.
He lamented that: “Our region, known for its rich cultural heritage and economic potential, faces significant challenges that demand our collective attention and action. Security is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of conditions that allow individuals and communities to thrive.”
He noted that it was on that basis that: “As an academic institution, Ahmadu Bello University is committed to contributing to the resolution of these challenges through research, education, and community engagement,” adding that “our scholars and students are actively involved in researching the root causes of insecurity and exploring sustainable solutions.”
Speaking on the occasion, CDS Musa said the military in its conduct, had engaged itself in kinetic and non-kinetic operations in a bid to positively resolve the challenge.
“Despite the successes achieved so far, several challenges still affect the Armed Forces’ efforts at curbing the various security threats in the northern part of Nigeria.
“These challenges include complexities of border management as well as the erroneous perception of security as a task only for uniformed personnel and a lack of patriotism. Others are low human capacity index and perception of lack of justice.
“Slow Judicial process and a perception of lack of justice, fairness and equity amongst citizens within the country is also a major challenge. Although essentially contested, it is a multifaceted issue which has grown over time with delays in cases leading to frustration, disappointment and challenges in addressing systematic issues. For instance, the Armed Forces have thousands of apprehended terrorists and bandits whose cases are still not yet concluded in courts.
“Other issues such as seeming favouritism and inaccessibility to justice, particularly for the poor are also perceived to have affected the dispensation of justice in the society. These issues breed apprehension and dissatisfaction which in turn could cause unnecessary tensions.
“Therefore, it is essential to restore efficient processes to resolve disputes that may arise from the perception of injustice especially across the teeming youth population of the north.
“This will largely assuage the citizenry to provide a feeling of belonging to the society. The perceptions of lack of justice, fairness and equity in the allocation of national resources have also been advanced as the reasons for some threats to our collective security in several instances.
“Equally, complaints of oppression and unjust treatment by individuals and groups will need to be revisited so as to give them closure. Furthermore, specific reforms to allow for special courts to address only cases on terrorism, kidnapping, treason and other similar cases to aid speedy trial could be considered and set up.
“Such courts could also allow the military to prosecute those cases it is involved in only in such special courts. To this end, a sustained effort from government, civil society and citizens will be required.
“Nigeria has 364 approved international border points and 1,497 other illegal migration points into the country. Further to this, Nigeria is a signatory to the ECOWAS Protocol on free movement of persons, goods and services within the West African sub-region.
“The obligation to abide by the ECOWAS Protocol on free movement coupled with the nature of our border management, further instigates the challenges to our nation’s security. This has manifested in increased insurgency, terrorism and religious extremism, as well as the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, human and drug trafficking amongst others.
“The underlying causes of these complexities could be attributed to the inadequacies in the implementation of frameworks for our border management systems as well as structures to adapt to systemic changes. Equally, the impact of these complexities on Nigeria’s national security particularly in the northern parts of the country has brought to the fore, the need to improve our border control measures and overall architecture to provide a more effective system that would improve the check of illegal entry through our borders.
“Thus, we need to continue our collaboration with political leaders and relevant stakeholders in the implementation of essential protocols and action plans towards strengthening our border management systems for improved national security,” Gen Musa said.
He described the security situation in northern Nigeria as “complex, as it is characterised by multiple challenges exacerbated by socio-political influences that combine to impact on the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s readiness and effectiveness.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria in the conduct of its operations has engaged itself in the kinetic and non-kinetic aspects in a bid to positively resolve its operations. The traditional use of force has been complimented with the non-traditional approaches such as civil-military relations and civil-military cooperation.
“The overall objective is the restoration of peace and security in Nigeria while winning the hearts and minds of the general population. Though the Armed Forces of Nigeria has had to grapple with some challenges, a lot of effort and resources have been expended to tackle them.
“It is for this reason that successes have been recorded especially in the conduct of military and non-military operations. Nevertheless, the Armed Forces of Nigeria will not rest on its oars but will seek to continually evolve strategies to ensure that total peace and security are restored to the northern part of Nigeria and our entire beloved fatherland.”
Prof Bala expressed gratitude that “the Chief of Defence Staff, brought with him a unique perspective to this dialogue. The Nigerian Armed Forces are at the forefront of efforts to combat these security threats. They are committed to protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians and ensuring that peace and stability are restored in affected areas.
“Together with academics, security experts, policymakers, and community leaders, Ahmadu Bello University is at the forefront of helping Nigeria in achieving our common goal – to build a safer, more prosperous country.”