Defence and security expert Dr. Kabir Adamu and , international security analyst David Otto have highlighted the anticipation for government action plans and various strategies to tackle insecurity and assure the populace of their safety.
During an ARISE NEWS interview on Friday, Adamu emphasised the significance of President Tinubu’s security strategies outlined in his Renewed Hope Action Plan for Nigeria. However, he pointed out that there is keen anticipation for the government’s forthcoming policy initiatives that will contribute to achieving these security objectives.
The president’s Renewed Hope Action Plan has mapped out broad pursuits for security development in Nigeria, as stated: Bolster Our Security Forces, Redefine Military Doctrine and Practice, Secure Critical National Infrastructure, Peaceful Communities, Secure Borders, Safe Forests, amongst many.
Adamu said, “We are hoping that in the coming days we would see policy documents that would show clearly to Nigerians how they intend to achieve this seven-point agenda.”
Additionally, he brought up two aspects that were not included in the agenda but should be addressed, namely, security sector governance and security sector reform.
He said, “We’ve got multitudes of security elements playing around, but how do they tie together to achieve section 14, sub-section 2 of the constitution.
“We are currently afraid, as it were, of the domino effect of the coup that is happening around West Africa. The only thing that will prevent that from happening in Nigeria is a full fledged security sector reform.”
He also stated that a strategy should be formulated on how to achieve coordination, collaboration and cooperation and spoke on strategic communication saying, “I am seeing very little of that, strategic communication that is able to gauge what comes out and the responses of that.”
In the same interview, Otto said Nigeria is facing numerous security challenges, emphasising that these are complex issues that cannot be fully addressed in just 100 days. However, he believes that the immediate priority should be establishing strong leadership.
He noted that the president has appointed key defence chiefs, which forms the basis of the leadership structure and has appointed ministers who will work alongside the security chiefs to enhance their efforts.
Furthermore, he reaffirmed Dr. Adamu’s viewpoint that the current priority is to understand the strategy devised by the military leaders.
Otto said, “100 days is too early to determine how well he is going to do. Security would always be a threat, but what we want to see is what kind of strategies and how comprehensive are those strategies that are put in place.
“That may include identifying the existing threats that Nigeria faces in each and every one of the six geo-political zones, but also try and localise that within the 36 states and the FCT (Federal Capital Territory).”
Consequently, he said once they attain a high level of meticulous planning, addressing the insecurity challenges in Nigeria will become a more manageable task.
He emphasised that the government’s ability to diminish the susceptibility of its citizens relies heavily on implementing preventative measures, stating, “How much preparatory strategy does the government have in place?
“How much preventative measures are being implemented by the government?
He also acknowledges the populace plays a vital part in recognizing certain security threats.
“Today’s threat is the type of threat where you need to ensure that you bring in the population as well,” he said.
While Otto highlighted the importance of human intelligence and human input, he spoke of the need for leadership to consider integrating technology-driven security measures, considering issues like cybercrime.
He also mentioned that in order to lure both domestic and foreign businesses, the government needs to provide a guarantee of safeguarding their infrastructure.
Frances Ibiefo
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