Most of the security challenges facing Nigeria, and indeed, the world today, are both asymmetric and trans-border in nature. They mostly involve non-state actors in different regions and sub-regions. Nigeria and its neighbours are, therefore, not immune to national security threats; hence the need for the Office of the National Security Adviser, whose responsibilities include developing and maintaining intelligence and information-sharing relationships with the international community, military, domestic and private sector partners to promote intelligence-related communications, standardise processes for collaboration and lead coordination on all issues concerning national security to double efforts.
Like other security advisers before him, Major-General Babagana Monguno, who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 13, 2015, has faced a share of the challenges facing the country and how to solve them.
Normally, to tackle security challenges in a troubled country like Nigeria, there is usually a shift in policy and managerial directions to enhance the coordination of security and intelligence institutions and provide capacity, thereby mainstreaming new processes that support efforts against threats to national security.
Last year was particularly daunting for the Office of the Security Adviser as there was the need for a tremendous effort at deploying a multi-sectoral approach to deal with the security challenges facing the country. The year, however, started on a note of hope as the executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ghada Fathi Wali, commended Nigeria following the first-ever successful prosecution of piracy in Africa. The feat was achieved through a successful collaboration between Nigeria and the UNODC as evidenced by the Global Maritime Crime Programme and the Strategic Vision for Africa, launched in 2021. Interestingly, two key events led to the success – the promulgation of the Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences (POMO) Act and the Falcon Eye.
Between January 31 and February 2, 2022, there were more efforts to tame the monster called insecurity in Nigeria as the National Security Adviser, along with his United Kingdom counterpart, Sir Stephen Lovegrove, hosted an inaugural dialogue in support of security and defence. The event featured defence staff talks and a cross-government forum on human rights. In a communiqué released after the three-day event by the two parties and jointly signed by Monguno and Lovegrove, Nigeria and the United Kingdom noted that the two countries enjoyed a deep and long-standing security and defence relationship.
As the 2023 general elections approach, there became an urgent need for peace; therefore, in partnership with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), the Independent National Electoral Committee (INEC) was tasked to address all the logistics and operational challenges.
The success recorded during the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council and the off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states testify to the success of the efforts of the federal government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser to tackle the challenges of insecurity in the country.
At a workshop on election security and management, organised by the Nigeria Police for its officers and men, it also became imperative to call for synergy, professionalism and patriotism among security agencies.
“A successfully policed and peaceful election circle is a fundamental variable in the quest by any nation to advance its democracy and deepen its system,” the National Security Adviser had said. And he was right.
During a meeting of the Cybercrime Advisory Council in March, additional cyber security sensitisation for stakeholders was directed, while cyber security toolkits for MSMEs were launched. Expectedly, after five years of efforts by the federal government, Nigeria achieved a milestone in cyber security, becoming part of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime for enhanced international cooperation in July 2022.
To adequately fight insecurity in the country, President Buhari signed the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill (2022) into law in May. And this brought relief of sorts to a lot of Nigerians.
Further efforts at bringing peace to the country also led to participation in brainstorming sessions of the Africa Union Extraordinary Humanitarian Summit and Pledging Conference in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in May 2022. There was a two-day working visit to the United Nations Office of Counterterrorism (UNOCT) at the invitation of the UN Under-Secretary-General (USG), Vladimir Voronkov at the United Nations headquarters in New York, all to achieve the desired results in our dear country. Notably, Voronkov; the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed; UNOCT Chief of Human Rights and Gender, Veronic Wright; UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Martha Pobee; UNOCT Deputy to the USG for Counter-Terrorism, Raffi Gregorian; Director of the Counter-Terrorism Centre, Jehangir Khan; the permanent representative of Nigeria to the UN, Tijjani Muhammed Bande and other officials attended the session.
There was also a high-level meeting to commemorate and promote the
Also, at the Accra Initiative Summit of Heads of State and Government in November 2022, the federal government called on civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, bilateral and multilateral development partners and other non–state actors to support their host governments in the fight against terrorism and transnational organised crimes. The summit took note of the will of the Nigerian government to designate representatives to the Multinational Joint Task Force in Tamale, Ghana.
Condemning various attacks on INEC facilities in the country, the NSA had said, “To those people who have gangsters working for them, I want to send a very clear warning, regardless of whichever political party, including the party of the president. As long as you decide to scuttle the electoral process, law enforcement agencies will equally be uninhibited in reacting to whatever action you have taken.”
Further efforts at tackling the spate of insecurity in the country led to the inauguration of an 11-man special investigative panel on oil theft, which is also yielding positive results as many loopholes have been discovered.
As the country prepares for the 2023 general elections, it is hoped that these measures would bring the needed solution to the seemingly intractable insecurity in the land and usher citizens into a new lease of life.
Usman wrote from Maitama, Abuja
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