Alarmed state governors last month disclosed of plans to hold a summit in June over the security situation in the country. Chibuzo Ukaibe, in this analysis, x-rays the issues likely to dominate the discussion.
This month of June is quite significant for the security situation in the country. For one, it is supposed to mark the end of the Boko Haram insurgency as promised by President Goodluck Jonathan, an assurance he gave while away in Singapore, soliciting foreign investments.
What’s more, with the meeting of the Northern traditional and religious leaders last week, where the ‘enough is enough’ declaration was made by the Sultan of Sokoto, there was no better way to herald the month of June.
However, another high-powered meeting over the Boko Haram is expected to hold this month. The Governors Forum, arguably the most powerful set of persons in the polity today, is scheduled to hold a summit over the deplorable security situation in the country.
This much was declared by the NGF Chairman, who is also the governor of Rivers State, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, in their last meeting on May 9th. While their security summit appears to be all inclusive, the timing obviously suggests that they are disturbed by the difficulty by the Government to contain the series of bomb blasts by the Boko Haram sect, which they described as a national embarrassment.
The communiqué read in part, “Forum emphatically condemned the current level of violence and insecurity across the country, which has become a national embarrassment. It pleaded for better understanding among Nigerians and resolved to hold a brainstorming session for the sole purpose of addressing the insecurity challenges in the country”.
But their counterparts from the north where the Boko Haram sects have been terrorizing have had series of meetings. And at their last meeting in Kaduna about two weeks ago, their frustrations in dealing with the Boko Haram scourge was revealed by the Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue.
He confessed that they have found it difficult to initiate a meeting with the group because they hide their identities and the governors do not fully understand their cardinal demands.
He also declared that the government alone could not address the security challenges occasioned by the deadly activities of the sect without the support of the people in the north.
“If it were a situation where you have a defined leadership from the people causing this problem and you can sit at a roundtable and discuss with them, then it would be understandable. But in this case, these people are not known.? They are not articulating any demand, so it is something that is totally different.
“If you look at terrorists from across the world, especially in places like Afghanistan, they articulate what their issues are. But these people (Boko Haram) are not saying anything and that presents a very difficult situation for the leadership, so it is not just about leadership as Northern Governors.
“We are doing our best at our own level, but we can’t even see the people who are doing this; they are not ready to come to the table for discussion, so what do you do? We have to go into intelligence gathering and in intelligence gathering; it is the people that provide the necessary information to security agents.
He also underscored the economic setbacks created by the insurgency adding “Now, look at our sad situation about investment – Kano is gone, Kaduna is gone, Jos is gone. These are the three most vibrant cities in the entire north. All of them are gone!? Nobody wants to live in Kaduna; nobody wants to go to Kano and trade, who will go on holiday in Jos now? Nobody”. But it would appear that the problems of the state governors go beyond just identifying the Boko Haram sect. In an earlier meeting, the governors had canvassed for more empowerment from the federal government to play their role as Chief Security Officers in their states to deal to pressing security challenges.
Amaechi said, “Following briefing by the National Security Adviser, the Forum reiterated the need for closer cooperation between the States and Federal Government in addressing security challenges, noting also the necessity for increased empowerment of the State Governors to perform their role as Chief Security Officers in their respective States”.
For security watchers, the statement of the governors for greater participation borders on the sharp debate over state police, an agitation that has long been canvassed by the governors as well as other stakeholders.
So far, the 1999 Constitution recognizes only the federal police; this thus constitutionally empowers the Federal Government to have absolute control on policing in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
However, a strong argument for state police was made by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governors, during their condolence visit to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State over the murder of his Private Secretary, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde.
For them, if state governors were in direct control of the police, crimes, such as murder, armed robbery, assassination and kidnapping, would be better take handled.
“The security situation in our land calls for a reform and re-organisation. The situation we find ourselves in this country is that governors are merely called Chief Security Officers of their various states, while the federal government is in direct control”, Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola said.
But President Goodluck Jonathan, a former governor, thinks differently. During the North Central Zonal meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Ilorin last December, he underscored the immaturity of the political class to creating state police.
“State police may be theoretically good, but looking at our political environment, it could be abused to the detriment of the country. The consensus of members of the National Council of State is that state police should not be permitted until Nigeria’s political development gets to the stage where Nigerians can be sure that whoever is in power will not turn it against the people.”
This view was tacitly echoed by the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, last year. He said, “Up till when I was Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Lokoja, I still believed and advocated that we should have one united, vibrant police force; but the event of modern Nigeria has proved otherwise. Most of the requirements of the police are not provided by the Federal Government. They are now being provided by state governments and, as the saying goes, ‘he who pays the piper calls the tune.’ I’m in full support of state police so that you know where you pump in your resources, but at the same time, it should not be used as a political weapon.”
While the agitation for state police will be one of the issues that are likely to be raised at the summit, the debate will continue to raise varied views.
However, the governors, realizing the direct connection between quality governance and sustainable security, also resolved to create an enabling environment for economic development, saying it will help to mitigate the security challenges.
“As part of efforts to mitigate the lingering security challenges, Forum members committed to creating an enabling environment for economic development and channeling more resources towards the empowerment of citizenry, especially youths, women and the vulnerable”. Ameachi read.
But these do not appeal to the Transition Monitoring Group, (TMG). For them, the bulk of the security problems in the country can be traced to the governments.
According to the fiery TMG Chairman, Mashood Erubami “Various governments in Nigeria are begging arms groups and persons who violated the sanctity of life of many Nigerians to come and embrace amnesty. The right of life guaranteed by section 33 of the constitutions implies a duty on the government to save life. The federal government has woefully failed in this regard.
The report of a recent panel set up by Federal Government shows that some of the armed groups in Nigeria were created and nurtured by politicians for political opponents. Most of the state governments in Nigeria maintain and keep private armed men in their payroll who are used to rig elections. After elections the arms are turned against ordinary Nigerians. Again, the altercation between the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the presidency/PDP over Boko Haram shows that all is not well with this government”.
While, it would appear that the June deadline of Boko Haram attacks as proclaimed by Jonathan has kick started a chain reaction of sorts into finding a lasting solution, the expectation is that the security summit by the governors, as critical stakeholders, will be all embracive, particularly at the level of not paying lip service to quality governance.
?