Peace Building Initiatives and Insecurity Concerns in Nigeria With Particular Reference to the North-East Experience of National Security
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to examine the extent to which the United Nations’ peace-building initiatives have impacted the national security of Nigeria as well as the efforts of the Nigeria government in partnership with the UN to tackle this menace. The specific objectives are to:
- examine the effects of insecurity and violence on the national security of Nigeria;
- identify the issues encountered by the various security agencies in combating the incidence of insecurity and violence in Nigeria and proffer strategies to address the issue;
- analyze the partnership and contributions of the United Nations (UN) in addressing the scourge of insecurity and violence in North-East Nigeria;
- determine the efforts of successive Nigeria governments and diplomats in engaging the United Nations toward solving the problem of insecurity and violence in North-East Nigeria;
- ascertain the roles of Nigeria in assisting the United Nations in her missions of peace keeping and conflict resolution in the North-East.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Introduction
One of the challenges governments across the world have been tackling since year 2000 has been the rise in the activities of Islamic extremist groups. Nigeria, a nation that has a relative population of Christians and Muslims, is experiencing a serious time of turbulence and tension orchestrated by an Islamic extremist Group Boko Haram, whose mission and agenda is to eradicate Western Ideology and in its place, establish Sharia Law in Nigeria (Wessells, 2016).
The militia group has, through its bombing operations since 2004, killed over 7,000 Nigerians mostly in the North-east region, attacking public and international buildings like the United Nations Building, Police Headquarters, banks, churches, recreation centers, etc. The Nigerian Government has openly admitted through the president that Boko Haram militants have infiltrated the military, police and his own government and that the danger the group has created is worse than that caused during the 1960s civil war that killed more than a million people. He sacked the Inspector General of Police, National Security Adviser and the Defense Minister for not doing enough to tackle the Boko Haram problem (Ejeviome, 2015).
This section however, presents the concept of Boko-Haram insurgency, effects of Boko-Haram insurgency in Nigeria (family relationships, economy and government, peace and national development), efforts of successive Nigeria governments toward curbing Boko-haram insurgency and the detailed review of the insurgency.
Boko-Haram Insurgency
The origin of Boko Haram according to Mmadike (2011) started in 1995 of sahaba and was virtually led by Lawan Abubakar, who later left for the University of Medicine in Saudi Arabia for further studies. Yusuf was said to have taken over the leadership after departure of Abubakar and indoctrinated the sect with his own teachings, which he claimed was based on purity.
The group which initially drew membership from the south-west started off as the “Taliban” it was first invited to Yobe State during the warm up to the 2003 elections, in the wake of sharing implementation in some states in the north. Due to the fact that the election did not assume the dimension their host thought it would take, the group was said to have been abandoned to its fate, before the state government ordered them to vacate its vicinity.
Findings from the sun newspaper of Friday 17, 2001 indicate that the group’s critical abode was Burtati, in Busari council of Yobe State before leaving for Kanama, a border from between Nigeria and Niger. Kanama is the headquarters of unsure council, also is Yobe state, it is not far from Gardam local government, where the leader of the group Ustaz Mohammed hails from (Ejeviome, 2015). Similarly, the first documented major attack by the group was in Yobe state on December 2003, precisely on December 22, a day affirming to the then Governor, senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, they had promised to leave the state. This marked the dawn of the group violent ideology. After this came attacks one after another, that it has become a daily activity and a very stronghold (Ejeviome, 2015).
In Nigeria Boko Haram snowballed into national menace after the 2011 general elections, the northern governors who had relationship with the sect began to withdraw their patronages and eventually abandoned them to their fate. (The Nation 2011:13). According to “focus Nigeria” an interactive programme on television, 2012, the insurgency has brought about the demise of business in the country most especially in the northern parts. For instance, traders who come from all over Nigeria and neighboring countries to buy textiles in Kano, no longer frequent the market again and the market is not as busy as it used to be.
CHAPTER THREE
NIGERIA’S ROLE IN THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE DIVIDENDS OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN PEACE BUILDING INITIATIVES
Introduction
This section deals with the role Nigeria has played in the United Nations’ course of peace keeping and conflict resolution. This is because; member states are expected to participate in the process of upholding peace and security in order to have the acknowledgement and support of the United Nations. Also, this chapter presents in full all the efforts and contributions of the United Nations in maintaining security and peace among the nations of the world. This includes the different approaches it has taken to ensure the member nations are guarded against insurgency and terrorism. In this regard, Nigeria who has been mesmerized by different insurgents requires the attention and assistance of the United Nations to address the challenge.
Brief History of the Relationship between Nigeria and the United Nations and Nigeria’s Contributions to the United Nations Objectives
Nigeria became a member of the United Nations immediately after its independence. It actively participated in ECOWAS Monitoring Group, African Union, as well as United Nations Peacekeeping Operations. The principles and objectives of Nigerian Foreign Policy made it mandatory for the country to be an active participant in African as well as global peacekeeping operations. More so, as a non-aligned country during the cold war years, Nigeria maintained a neutral position, which made her a dependable mediator and courted participant in the forces raised to restore and maintain peace in conflict zones (Orhero, 2015).
In March 1998, a peace keeping force under Nigerian leadership with considerable help from a British/Africa mercenary from a local paramilitary (the (Kamajor), entered Freetown, and restored Kabbah and his government. The motives of the Nigerian intervention were twofold:
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS ON PEACE BUILDING INITIATIVES AND INSECURITY CONCERNS NORTH-EAST IN NIGERIA
Introduction
The peace and sustainability of any nation depends majorly on the state of security (Ewetan & Urhie, 2014). Despite several insecurity concerns in Nigeria particularly North-East, peace building initiatives has been put in place by many stakeholders including the United Nations and the Federal government of Nigeria (Ali, 2013). This chapter provides an analysis on the peace building initiatives by examining the effects of insecurity and violence on the national security of Nigeria; identify the issues encountered by the various security agencies in combating the incidence of insecurity and violence in Nigeria and proffer strategies to address the issue; analyze the partnership and contributions of the United Nations (UN) in addressing the scourge of insecurity and violence in North-East Nigeria; and finally ascertain the roles of Nigeria in assisting the United Nations in her missions of peace keeping and conflict resolution in the North-East.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
Introduction
This concluding chapter will contain the summary of findings, recommendation and conclusion
Summary of findings
The aim of this study is to analyze the peace building initiatives and insecurity concerns in North east Nigeria. It adopted a qualitative approach in the analysis. Results from this study revealed the effects of insecurity and violence on the national security of Nigeria to be insecurity, poverty, poor socioeconomic development, unemployment, forced displacement and wanton destruction of lives and properties. Also the issues encountered by the various security agencies in combating the incidence of insecurity and violence in Nigeria were identified to be poor funding, lack of basic equipment, poor welfare package and lack of training of the security personnel. The strategies to tackle this issues rest majorly on the government to provide all these necessary things in order to counter insecurity and violence in Nigeria. Analysis on the partnership and contributions of the United Nations (UN) in addressing the scourge of insecurity and violence in North-East Nigeria revealed that UN has mobilized the member states to support Nigeria in peace building. Although USA has not been committed to her promise, but other African countries, China, France and Britain has participated in the UN effort at restoring peace in the North East Nigeria. Finding further show the efforts of successive Nigeria governments and diplomats in engaging the United Nations toward solving the problem of insecurity and violence in North-East Nigeria which were majorly the setting up Joint Task Force in curbing the menace. The Nigerian troops have also assisted the United Nations in her missions of peace keeping and conflict resolution in the North-East by protecting the UN officials and aids in their humanitarian efforts.
Conclusion
This research has revealed the effects of insecurity and violence on the national security of Nigeria to be insecurity, poverty, poor socioeconomic development, unemployment, forced displacement and wanton destruction of lives and properties. Also the issues encountered by the various security agencies in combating the incidence of insecurity and violence in Nigeria were identified to be poor funding, lack of basic equipment, poor welfare package and lack of training of the security personnel. The strategies to tackle this issues rest majorly on the government to provide all these necessary things in order to counter insecurity and violence in Nigeria. From all indications security is a big challenge in Nigeria’s effort to develop, but violent crimes such as the Boko Haram insurgence has compounded the existing threatening security situation in Nigeria. While it could be true that security is a major issue globally, Nigeria’s security situation has in recent times deteriorated owing to poor governance, political desperation and government inability to deliver the needed dividend with emphases to employment rate in the country.
Recommendations
Following the findings and the conclusion, the researcher hereby recommends as follows:
- The government should tackle the root cause of insecurity which are poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, corruption and lack of commitment to national development.
- Necessary equipment and training should be provided for the security forces in an attempt to discharge their duties effectives.
- There is need to curb corruption among the top senior officers of the military in order to boost the welfare packages of the security forces to ensure they are adequately motivated.
- Nigeria government should cooperate with United Nations and other members states in their peace building initiatives.
- There is need to rehabilitate the remorseful terrorist who has surrender to the government and use the information obtained from them to decimate the unrepentant ones.
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