Good governance is not an abstract term. Good governance is what anyone can see, feel, touch, sense, hear and be happy with. Good governance is not grandstanding or playing to the gallery. Good governance is using political power and public offices to work for the common good. Good governance ensures that tangible and intangible dividends of democracy are delivered to the people. Good governance differentiates a thriving State from a failed State. A failed State is simply one that can no longer deliver physical security, a productive economic environment, and a stable political system for its people. Nigeria is now a land where criminals whether styled bandits, insurgents, herdsmen carrying firearms, kidnappers, terrorists operate openly and freely. Nigeria is no longer safe- land, sea and air. Unknown gunmen, cultists, cattle rustlers, yahoo plus, organ harvesters, pipeline vandals, illegal miners, sea pirates are having a field day. Lives and properties are no longer safe in all parts of Nigeria. By omission or commission, cows are valued more than human lives. It would appear that Nigerian state has turned against its citizens making many to wonder whether the welfare and security of the people is no longer the primary purpose of government. Sadly, Nigeria is exhibiting disturbing manifestations of a failed state but a new normal is possible.
On the other hand, it is important to highlight that although insecurity is a nebulous concept, it can manifest in different forms which include but are not limited to the following: (a) job insecurity; (b) food insecurity; (c) political insecurity; (d) economic insecurity; (f) financial insecurity; (g) social insecurity; (h) health insecurity; (i) environmental insecurity; (j) religious insecurity; (k) moral insecurity; (l) emotional insecurity;(m) cyber or virtual or internet insecurity; (n) cultural insecurity, and (o) physical insecurity. Thus, every nation or person is subject to one form of insecurity or the other. These forms of insecurities may sometimes not be inseparable as one type of insecurity may be akin to the other or produce the same or separate consequences. In other words, insecurity is generally understood to be opposite of or absence of security or lack of safety. connote absence of freedom from physical violence, as well as material wellbeing of individuals, including environmental health.
Insecurity in Nigeria is a subject of many conspiracy theories. In one very disturbing account rendered during plenary by a member of the House of Representatives, Boko haram terrorists were “reported to be more equipped than Nigerian army”. The level of sabotage and complicity of security and government officials in the insecurity situation in Nigeria is very alarming. Aside ordinary citizens, top security chiefs, high political office holders, traditional rulers have been linked or arrested for sponsoring banditry, insurgency, kidnapping and other malodorous activities of unknown gunmen. Why should a citizen levy war against his nation? What can cause a citizen to destabilise and sabotage his country’s efforts in fighting insecurity? Things are really not the way they should be. What can be done to reduce, if not completely eliminate, incidences of insecurity in Nigeria?
Nigeria is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious country. Its unique diversity which should have been an advantage has been turned into adversity by many factors one of which is chiefly insecurity. It is enacted in section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended that the primary purpose of government shall be the welfare and security of the people. In Nigeria, the three tiers of government in Nigeria are the Federal, State and Local Governments. In OYELARAN I, OLORO OF ORO & ANOR v OLAYIOYE & ORS (2013) LPELR-20502(CA), the Court of Appeal held that any government worth its calling must live up to the mandate and aspirations of the electorate, the owners of sovereignty in a democratic dispensation such as ours. A government, at any level in the Nigerian Federation, will be found wanting in its social and constitutional duty if it fails to provide the needed clement atmosphere where peace, progress, harmony and security will reign supreme. No electorate will desire and relish in an environment fraught with rift, rancour, upheavals, chaos and insecurity which may snowball into anarchy. Indeed, the maxim, salus populi est suprema lex- the welfare of the people is the paramount law- is an ideal which every government in the Nigerian sovereign state must strive to achieve. In that struggle, such government will be guided by the good words of Jeremy Bentham: “The greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.
It is now obvious that Nigeria cannot bomb or kill her way out of insecurity. Whether kinetic and or non-kinetic measures are applied in combating insecurity, it is opined that only good governance can make them work. Good governance will ensure responsible and responsive governance. Good governance will curb legislative rascality, executive lawlessness and judicial corruption. Good governance will ensure that there are consequences for misbehaviours. Good governance will promote merit over mediocrity and help citizens to willingly agree to place nation above self. Good governance will prevent shrinking the democratic space and capture of the judiciary. Good governance will prevent worrisome and disturbing hate actions, marginalisation and discriminatory policies against citizens from certain ethnic, linguistic or cultural groups of the country contrary to the provisions of section 14(3) and (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. Good governance will fire, provoke and sustain patriotism and make citizens to perish the awful thought that Nigeria is not worth dying for. Patriotism is taught. No one is born a patriot. It is only lack of patriotism and discipline that can make highly placed public officers and security chiefs to embezzle funds allocated for security and defence spending.
Insecurity impacts negatively on the fundamental rights and guaranteed freedoms of the citizens. Besides, insecurity remains a major obstacle in the effort of the government to attract foreign investments. It is thought that the security challenges in Nigeria can be considerably reduced if the following good governance initiatives among other numerous things are done namely-
(a) National orientation and re-orientation are highly needed. While Nigeria needs restructuring, the values, ideals and mindset of Nigerians also require restructuring. Inculcation of the ideals of leadership and patriotism in the education curriculum of primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria is strongly suggested. No one is born a patriot. Patriotism is taught and it better done early in life. Patriotism is in short supply in Nigeria. Although section 23 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended provides that “the national ethics shall be “Discipline, Integrity, Dignity of Labour, Social Justice, Religious Tolerance, Self-reliance and Patriotism”, this is obeyed more in breach than observance.
(b) The present state of insecurity makes the call for constitutional provision for the establishment of State Police to be inevitable. The present arrangement of creating one Nigeria Police Force under section 214 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended is not working to put it mildly.
(c) Eligible citizens should be allowed to own and carry guns that are licensed and properly controlled. Proliferations of illegal arms which are in the possession of criminals have led to the death of many citizens who could have lawfully defended themselves if they were allowed to carry licensed guns.
(d) All public facilities, markets, hotels, schools religious and cultural buildings should deploy reliable Close Circuit Television systems.
(e) Digital security should be improved upon to eradicate cyber insecurity and cybercrimes.
(f) Conduct of reliable national census is key to effective planning and efficient national security. A nation that has no reliable census data and demographics will certainly be prone to insecurity.
(g) It is a given that there is need to strengthen the existing security architecture land, sea and air. This will require appropriate funding and logistics support including enhanced salary and condition of service for security personnel. The need for migration from analogue to digital security and training and retraining of security officers cannot be overemphasised.
(h) To check influx of aliens and criminal foreign elements due to porous border, security and patrols along the borders should be improved upon and appropriate technology driven devices deployed for maximum effect. These will help secure national boarders and isolate the country from rampaging external criminals- bandits and insurgents.
(i) Employment and job opportunities including social safety nets to mitigate the impact of poverty on the citizens must be made available to both the young and old in Nigeria. An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. An uneducated, hungry, poor or unemployed person is very susceptible to indoctrination and radicalization.
(j) The provisions of Chapter II of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended should be altered to make the body of economic, social and cultural rights therein to be justiciable and enforceable in order to guarantee good governance and social justice. Consequently, the provision of section 6(6)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended which provide that these rights not be enforceable should be deleted or expunged from the national Constitution.
(k) To drastically reduce electoral violence and insecurity arising therefrom, political parties must imbibe internal party democracy and INEC as the electoral umpire must stand prepared to conduct free, fair and credible elections. To this end, it is suggested that an Electoral Offences Commission be set up to bring electoral offenders to book.
(l) All that is required for insurgency to be drastically combated or defeated is, re-equipping the security forces with appropriate counter-terrorism fighting capabilities, precisely, better weapons, and tech like drones, helicopter gunships, and even increased manpower. There is also the need to appreciate the fact that insurgency is propelled by ideology. The counter-terrorism operations must therefore be complemented with a well-structured de-radicalization plan. Those benefiting from the insurgency must also be identified, and dealt with.
(m) Formation of Forests Guards will help to tackle terrorists’ activities although this cannot work without their being fully armed as terrorists have very sophisticated weapons and drones.
(n) Full-fledged Local Government autonomy will help in the fight against insecurity. The constitutional functions of the Local Governments are very important and, if properly exercised, will positively impact on all the citizens of this country and thereby reduce incidents of unprecedented mass rural-urban migration, insecurity, misery, poverty, social injustice and other myriads of problems confronting all of us.
(o) As the last hope of the common man, bulwark of democracy and sentinel of justice, the judiciary must stand prepared at all times to be above board and reproach.
There is no substitute for good governance. Government at all levels, federal, state and local government must agree that it has failed if the welfare and security of the people have been compromised. Failure cannot be explained. Failure is a harbinger of excuses. Only success has many friends and well-wishers. Nigeria must surmount her challenges of insecurity through good governance. It is not an impossible task although security remains the business of all.
A new normal is possible!
Prof Obiaraeri, N. O.
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