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Dialogue:
Assessing and Dealing with National Security
Challenges
THE REPORT
Summary of Conclusions and
Recommendations
Organizer: Institute of Governance and Social Research
(IGSR), Jos, Nigeria.
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CONCLUSIONS OF THE 4TH NATIONAL CIVIL-MILITARY
DIALOGUE: ASSESSING AND DEALING WITH NATIONAL
SECURITY CHALLENGES, HELD AT BEST WESTERN PLUS
AJUJI HOTEL, APO, ABUJA, BETWEEN JULY 1-4, 2013
A. INTRODUCTION
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Commissioner, British High Commission Abuja; Representatives
of the Embassy of the United States of America; General A.O.
Ogomudia (rtd.), former Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General
G.O Ejiga (rtd), former Commander of OAU Forces in Chad;
among several other dignitaries.
Participants were drawn from the military, including a number
of retired Generals and other officers; members of the civil
service, academia, judiciary, civil society, labour, media,
women groups, other security agencies, and interest groups.
B. OBJECTIVES
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The over-arching objective of the dialogue is to evaluate the
current state of civil-military relations in the light of the
current challenges of insurgencies in Nigeria with a view
to making policy recommendations on the prevention,
management and resolution of conflicts which lead to
insurgencies. Specifically, the objectives of the dialogue
include:
1. Civil-Military Relations
Observations
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the role of the military in Internal Security Operations
(ISO), some have argued that the military often feels that
criticisms of their human rights records are impediments
to the effective execution of their functions;
the absence of an intermediary force between the military
and the police has resulted in the excessive exposure of
the military to internal security operations in the 28 States
of the Federation. One of the unintended consequences of
this is the intermittent tension and rancour between the
military and the civilian population, precisely because the
training of the military is not designed for policing duties;
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in spite of all the necessary measures taken by the
military to minimize collateral damage, there is a seeming
lack of awareness by the civilians that in asymmetrical
warfare collateral damages are inevitable. This is probably
why the military often gets blamed for human rights
abuses in ISO, especially when the insurgents live within
civilian population in urban areas;
the tension between the civilian population and the
security agencies is often over-played in the media. This
often exacerbates the general misperception, mutual
suspicion, and widens the communication gap between
the military and civilians;
while the military has the duty to protect the State from
external aggression, every member of the society expects
members of the military to maintain a sense of
professionalism, commitment to the preservation of peace
and security, and loyalty to civilian authority;
in a democracy, some of the most critical decisions of
political leaders are about peace and national security,
and the military usually has a role to play in such
decisions by informing the policy-makers of the military
realities on the ground and the strategic goals that must
be taken into account; and
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the roles of the military and civil populace in the process
of nation-building are complementary. They are partners in
socio-economic development. Thus, constant dialogue
between the two sectors of the society is important for
mutual understanding.
Recommendations
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d. The National Assembly should commence legislation on
the Reserve Forces of Nigeria Bill; the Security
Services Welfare Infrastructure Bill; the Armed
Forces (Secondary Roles) Bill; and the Disaster
Response Corps (Establishment Bill).
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i. All appointments of military officers should be based
on merit; and
ii. Politicians should not interfere in decidedly military
matters.
i. Need to revisit the security architecture of Nigerias
internal security, with a view to redesigning the Nigeria
Police, State Police and Local Authority police.
Observations
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consequently led to the infiltration and involvement of
foreigners in insurgency in Nigeria;
inadequate logistical support, poor and largely outdated
technological equipments, in addition to the
uncooperative attitude of political leaders combine to
protract the war against insurgency;
the failure of the political leadership to bring to justice
criminals alleged to be sponsors of insurgency against the
State, demonstrates a lack of political will to fight the
menace. It gives the wrong signal to potential insurgents;
the centralization of power in the 1999 Constitution rather
than their devolution, is often referred to as a major
source of tension in the Nigerian Federal system; and
Recommendations
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synchronize all stakeholders in order to achieve the
strategic objective.
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should be given to the training and retraining of officers
and men of the Police Service.
g. The Federal Government should review criminal justice
laws; the laws should be revised and updated.
h. There should be structures and programmes put in place
to help in rehabilitating and reintegrating ex-insurgents
into normal civilian life.
i. Government should bring to justice all those alleged to
be responsible for promoting and/or sponsoring
insurgency in the country.
j. Far reaching measures such as employment
opportunities, economic empowerment, quality
education and massive infrastructural
development should be put in place to help attenuate
the socio-economic causes of conflict.
k. The promotion of joint exercises, training doctrines and
programmes among all the security agencies, including
the Police, would enhance inter-agency cooperation in
the field against insurgents.
l. There should be an effective integration of Almajiri
Quranic system of education into the formal Primary
educational system in order to ensure they receive
necessary skills to fit into the socio-economic sectors of
the society as well as prevent their vulnerability to
indoctrination and extremism.
m. The Government should create grazing reserves and
cattle ranches in each state in line with modern practice
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to tame the perennial violent clashes between farmers
and cattle herders.
n. Government should establish National 911
Emergency Response Centres integrating all Security
Agencies, Military, Hospitals, NEMA, Mobile Telephone
Operators and others in partnership with and managed
by private (civil society) and government agencies.
o. There should be a National Security Policy as guide
to all military and civilians.
p. Internal Security Operations should be as short as
possible, with time line in order to be efficient and
effective.
Observations
the absence of a national biometric data base on vital
registration, and forensic laboratory, has often frustrated
investigation and prevention of crimes in Nigeria;
there is low level of mutual confidence between the
security services and the civil populace is established;
it is good news that the youth in Borno have formed a
Joint Task Force (JTF). Government should ensure that
there are programmes for the youth after peace returns,
so that they do not become new monsters;
insurgency/terrorism is new in Nigeria, but the country
has risen to the occasion after the initial shock. It is now
important to assess how we move forward, having learnt
from the past;
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Recommendations
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g. Deliberate emphases on joint operations between
military/civil authorities, such as joint secretariat, Joint
Operations Rooms etc are very essential.
h. A programme for the de-radicalization of terrorists
through counselling, rehabilitation, and the empowerment
of defecting terrorists.
Observations
Recommendations
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b. Government and Security Agencies should positively
appreciate the significant role of the media in publicizing
public policies as well as reporting feedbacks.
c. The sources of information should be strenuously
protected for the media to carry out its role effectively.
d. There should be capacity-building for the journalists
through training and good conditions of service, in order to
enhance professionalism.
e. Journalists should be encouraged to specialize in security
matters. These journalists should receive special training
and interact regularly with security agencies; and
f. All journalists should demonstrate maturity through self-
censorship on matters of national security.
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hostility against government efforts from respected
socio-cultural groups;
dysfunctional Criminal Justice System;
lack of free and fair elections; and
lack of adequate relevant training for security
organizations.
b. Ways and Means to Prevent Insurgencies/Terrorism
and Strategies
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dialogue with insurgents; rehabilitation and
management of insurgents for functional re-entry into
the society;
employment of carrot and the stick by the government
in dealing with sub-national groups which have gone
militant; and
curb wastages in governance, and put gained resources
where they matter most reducing poverty.
Multi-sectoral approach:
re-orientation of the youth to appreciate traditional
positive values of nation-building;
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infrastructural development to serve as a basis of socio-
economic growth and development;
massive employment/social welfare scheme to rob the
purveyors of violence the chance to use the youth as
cannon-fodders;
mentoring, supervision and good parenting of the youth
from family level;
good governance, transparent leadership to ensure
justice, equality and accommodation;
encouragement of national unity through many
activities such as sports, cultural and other festivals and
competitions;
another look at community policing, with a view to
improving and making it more efficient and effective
could be useful;
build a well-equipped and trained armed forces and
police;
federalism: Nigeria should have an open democratic
polity, with a federal government that assures the
people of fairness, accommodation and justice;
review of relevant existing laws to meet the present
security challenges
Almajiri Quranic education should be incorporated into
the primary educational system in the North;
establishing Emergency National 911 Response Centres
in all States and Local governments;
effective border control;
collaboration with immediate neighbours security
agencies;
stopping the proliferation of small arms and light
weapons;
free and Fair elections; and
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effective and relevant training on counter-insurgency.
Observations
Recommendations
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emergency security situations, such as drills, sirens etc
as in other countries.
d. Active implementation of Identity Card policy for every
Nigerian, would go a long way in assisting security agents in
investigation and prevention of violence and insurgency.
e. Sensitize all government officials, especially at State and
Local government levels to issues of national security and
the relationship between security challenges and
development. Training Workshops should be held for them.
f. Provide a forum at State and Local level for dialogue among
parties in conflict such as the Peace Council at both State
and Local levels.
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