As Nigeria continues to grapple with various forms of insecurity, a coalition of civil society organizations known as Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) Network has called for the de-centralization of the country’s security architecture.
The network, which is undertaking intervention programs with communities towards Preventing And Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) stressed that communities are in the best position to play the oversight role for their security and safety. At a recent three-day program to develop a Theory of Change for the PCVE Knowledge Innovation And Resource Hub (KIRH), the CSOs reviewed Nigeria’s current security woes.
On what it described as the endemic insecurity in the country, the network observed that while cases of attacks on communities and security personnel, along with incidences of mass abductions continues to occur, the instances of repelling and or foiling of attacks, prevention and rescue of victims of abductions, and apprehension of perpetrators have also been on the rise, an indication of some improvement in response of security agencies.
However, the group noted that there remains a lot of room for further improvements.
One such area of improvement, the CSOs noted is in interagency coordination, intelligence gathering and intelligence led operations, as well as in relations of trust between communities, citizens and the security agencies and personnel.
On the move towards establishment of state police, the coalition members said they are convinced that communities are best suited and placed to undertake and oversight their own safety and security.
“In this context, policing, and internal security, can be more effective only when it is decentralized and devolved. As such, the network welcomes the conversations around, and moves towards establishment of state police services across the subnational governments in Nigeria.
“However, this must be done on the basis of certain agreed to minimum, and constitutionally guaranteed guiding principles and criteria for the establishment of State Police Services by subnational governments.”
Consequently, the group called for proper delineation of roles and functions within and across jurisdictions – between states, and between states and the federal policing authorities among others. It also urged states governments that are prepared to establish state police services to provide funding for these services.
Other aspects the group mentioned include; minimum professional qualifications for recruitment and employment, as well minimum standards for facilities and equipment. In terms of recruitment, the network advocated inclusive recruitment on the basis of residency and citizenship rather than on indigenship and ethnicity to avoid the establishment of public funded ethnic militias.
To ensure state police does not become a thriving ground for perpetrators of human rights abuses, PAVE network called for safeguards for human rights protection.
The group said: “We are also of the view that the debate around the establishment of state police services should be held across the country, and particularly at state (subnational) level, and not just at the national level.
The group subsequently made the point that the root of endemic insecurity, including violent extremism, is the question of the crisis of governance, where governments are failing in meeting the basic needs of citizens through the delivery of adequate, effective, and quality public services.
It said services such as universal healthcare coverage, universal basic education, social housing, transportation, energy, are not being provided for citizens across Nigeria. “Where human capital development is lacking; where citizens are unable to earn a living or have sustainable livelihoods; where citizens are unable to access healthcare, and afford humane housing; where there is perceived injustice, ethnic domination and oppression; where there is endemic poverty and unemployment, in the midst of ostentatious display of wealth and opulence; and where there is such wide levels of inequality; it is only a matter of time before crime becomes attractive, and Violent Extremist groups are able to actively mobilised grievance and recruit among citizens, all leading to intractable insecurity.”
The communique outlining the focus of the group was signed by the members as follows: Jaye Gaskia Chair, Steering Committee PAVE Network, Prof Abubakar Muazu –Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress (BOCODEP), Dr. Bridget Osakwe- West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Mr. Jamil Mustapha- Coalition for Security and Peace in Northern Nigeria, Dr. Muhammad Mustapha- Democracy Action Group, Dr. Femi Michael Sodipo- Peace Initiative Network, Mr. Saviour Akpan- Comppart Foundation for Justice and Peacebuilding, Mr. Idris Miliki Abdul- Conscience for Human Rights & Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Ms. Maryam Aje- Waka Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Ms. Farida Haruna Jaktu – Women and Child Initiative, Dr. Dauda Muhammad Gombe – North East Youth Initiative Forum (NEYIF).
