ETHNIC MILITIA AND THE NIGERIAN SECURITY QUESTION
By
AMEH, EmmanuelDept. of Sociology
Kwararafa University [email protected]
08039369147&
ADOKO, Owoicho EmmanuelDept. of Sociology
Kwararafa University [email protected]
08064885798&
OGWOLA, Robert IdokoDept. of Public AdministrationKwararafa University Wukari.
08032716828.
Abstract
The study sets out to examine the issue of ethnic militiain Nigeria today and the security question. To this end,a few objectives were set out, they include: To examinefactors that have contributed to the rise of ethnicmilitias in Nigeria, examine their origins andactivities, including implications of such, and suggest away forward in the battle to bring an end to suchoccurrences in the future. In a bid to achieve these, aparticular methodology was adopted-the use of secondarydata including textbooks, newspapers and the internet andprimary data through in-depth interview. The majorfindings suggest that the rise of ethnic militias inNigeria is as a result of marginalization and economicexploitation, alongside complacency on the part ofgovernment in the fight against corruption. As asolution, it is recommended that policy makers in Nigeria
1
treat every other Nigerians equally and approach thebattle against corruption with sincerity and doggedness,without fear or favour; among others.
Introduction
In contemporary times, the world over is seen to be going
through difficult period engendered by security threats
2
from different militant group, such as al Qaeda, Taliban,
al Shabab, and other extreme Islamist groups that have
threatened the peace and tranquillity hitherto enjoyed by
citizens of many nations states the threat posed by
militant groups is seen to be a global phenomenon with
terrible impact on life, health, social development; to
mention but few.
Nigeria as a country has got its own share of the evil
resulting from activities of militant groups, these
groups have root and links to ethnicity hence, the
nomenclature ethnic militia. The atrocities been wrought
on the nation by them are enormous; worthy of mention are
militia groups such as the Egbesu Boys in the south-south
the movement for the emancipation of the Niger Delta
(MEND), and other splinter militia groups who profess to
be driven by the same agenda, O’odua Peoples’ Congress
(OPC) in the south west the movement for the
actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra, south
east the Ombatse cult in the middle belt, Boko haram and
the Fulani herdsmen in the north.
3
The mayhem caused by these lawless human have continued
unabated in Nigeria over
a long period of time that one wonders if they can ever
be put to an end or is it now a
norm for Nigerians to shed blood without cause. But this
does not seem to be the case
as we find that the government from time to time rise
against these enemies
of the peace of the state to curtail their excesses and
nip them in the bud. However,
despite the efforts of government in trying to bring down
the level of insecurity in the
nation, one still finds that these unscrupulous elements
continue to unleash their
satanic blows on innocent Nigerians leaving most of the
populace at a loss with regard
to the way forward. It is in the height of the above that
this present work seeks to
examine ethnic militia and the Nigerian security
question. The core issues it seeks to
address are :
4
To examine reason and factors that have contributed
to the rise of ethnic militias, their activities in
contemporary Nigeria and their implications
To examine the origins of ethnic militias, their
activities in contemporary Nigeria and their
implications
To suggest a pay forward in the battle to bring to
an end the nefarious activities of these armed
bandits.
The work will embody the following: theoretical
explanations of the incidence of
ethnic militias and its implication for the security of
nigeria ; the history of ethnic
militias and their bearing on the nation’s security,
factors that have contributed to the
rise of ethnic militias and their implications for the
Nigerian state, conclusion and
recommendations.
Theoretical Framework
5
Theories are said to be an explanation of a problem
(Ubwa, 2003). Haralambos, Heald
and Holborn(2008) conceive of a theory as a set of ideas
that provides an explanation
for something the issue at hand is structural in nature
and so deserves macro rather
than micro explanation. To this end, the work employs the
use of two major macro
sociological theories – functionalism and conflict
theories to explain the reasons for
the rise of ethnic militias in Nigeria and their role in
the security of the nation.
Functionalism
This framework considers society as a system. By that, it
views the society as
comprised of various part or units which are
interconnected or interrelated and also
6
interdependent. It views the society as the basic unit of
analysis and they are
understood in recognition of their relationship to the
whole. This viewpoint drew
inspiration from human body which has severe organs such
as the heart, lungs, eyes
among other, these are considered in terms of their
relationship to other organs and
more importantly their contribution towards the
maintenance of ethnic militias would
be based on the need for them, that is, in terms of their
contribution to the society. The
view point holds that the society, just like every living
organisms have some basic
needs it must satisfy in order to continue to survive
(Haralambos et al, 2008).
These basic needs spoken of above are in the views of
functionalists what they call
functional prerequisites, among these functional
perquisites in society today is the
7
need for security. It is a major need that must be met if
members of the society will
live in peace and tranquillity and also for the society
to survive and develop.
The focus of functionalism has been on how social systems
are maintained. This is
usually considered in the light of positive evaluation of
the contribution of those units
saddled with the responsibility of performing role- that
is, how well they performed,
but such contribution may not always be functional some
other times they are
dysfunctional, connoting unintended consequences for the
establishment of those
units.
In this regard a major reason for the rise of ethnic
militias in Nigeria is for the purpose of providing
additional security of life and property, and complement
the operations of the conventional law enforcement
agencies in combating crime in their various communities
8
(Oronsaye and Igbafi, 2012).the need for them is
predicated on in the fact that various areas of Nigeria
have being experiencing an abysmal in the old increase in
the rates of crime over the years some communities had to
set up own militia groups to forestall incessant invasion
from other communities, so that preservation of the
security of the people inform the need of creation some
militia groups. In line with this view, Ajayi[ 2007]
asserts that the formation and operation of self-
determination groups in Nigeria are not a novel
phenomenon; they actually date back to the pre-colonial
days when many local communities in Nigeria maintained
warrior groups comprising of able bodied young men from
specific age grade, who not only engage the in order from
neighbouring communities, but also enforce law and order
and impose sanctions within their own domain.it was a bid
to boosts security this way that some militia are groups
formed an example is the Bakassi Boys formed in the 1999
to curtail criminal activities in some parts of the
southeast of Nigeria.
9
The O’odua people congress [OPC] also is a militia group
formed on the basis of not only integrating the
aspirations and values of all the descendants of Oduduwa
but also to provide vigilante services. However ,the
activities of these groups are not always conducted in
accordance with the norm upon which they were
established. Sometime the same people they are supposed
to protect become victims of their highhandedness and in
such situations, their activities have become
dysfunctional. It in is light of the above that Oronsaye
and Igbafe [2012] note thus: sadly, these groups which
started basically as associations to pursue the interests
of their people and to provide protection and safety for
the local citizens have transformed in different ways and
have become thorns in the flesh of not only those they
seek or claim to protect but also to many Nigerians.
Furthermore, Ajayi [2007] contends that the militia
indeed fulfilled the roles of security to the live and
property effectively for a while; bringing relief to the
vast majority of the people from the menace of armed
robbery. Ironically, the same masses they [the ethnic
10
militias] were, supposed to protect later became the
victims, getting killed and burnt up by the militias in
their intra-ethnic feuds.
As noted above some of these militia groups were formed
on the premise of providing security to people so that
peace can prevail and there will be a conducive
atmosphere for development to take place, but the
unintended in most cases have overtaken the objective
that necessitated their formation. We find that as soon
they take firm roots, they begin to see themselves as
being above the laws of the land. The unintended becomes
their direction, they constitute terrors in the society
as they shift their focus from pursuing the objective
that predicates their establishment and rather instates a
reign of criminal violence. From this functionalist
explanation, one finds that it is the need to pursue the
functional prerequisite of provision of additional
security to the live and property of members of society
that at the outset underline the establishment of some
ethnic militia groups. However, as can be seen from the
11
discourse above, these groups are not always functional,
that is, performing the roles for which they were created
these activities for as they act negatively against the
dysfunction for which they were established. This way,
the functionalist perspective offers some explanation for
the rise of some, not all types of ethnic militia, just
those that are established on the premise of providing
security for the people. We now turn to a perspective for
explanation of the rise of other ethnic militia groups
and in this respect, the conflict perspective is
favoured.
Conflict Theory.
The conflict theory also adopts the structural approach
as functionalism. It also conceives of the society as
made up of parts [groups] but in a way that is different
from functionalist view of society, these groups are not
seen as working harmoniously to maintain the whole but
rather they are seen as having different interests, as a
result, conflict theories believes that social
12
arrangements in the society tend to benefit some groups
at the experience of others. Because of different
interests inform behaviour, there is the tendency for
conflict as the different groups pursuing their different
interests are likely to clash. This does not mean that
the different groups in society are in a perpetual state
of conflict as there are some significant periods of
truce but the fact still remains that, because of the
different interests being pursued by the different
groups, conflicts remains inevitable. [Haralambos etal;
2008]. The hallmark of conflict theory is the emphasis on
competition rather than cooperation between, the
different groups and interests that make up the society.
The Marxist approach to conflict explanations views the
economic substructure or base as the infrastructure that
determines the supper-primary influence and largely
shapes other aspects of in society has in the
contradiction inherent in the process of economic
production. At a point when the means of production and
the products of labour were communally owned, people
13
produced both for themselves and for the society. At this
point, there were no conflicts of interest between
individuals and groups; however, the contradiction was
created when individual ownership of the means of
production replaced communal ownership. As it is, the
minority in society.[in terms of number] own and control
the means of production and by that enjoy the fruit of
the labour of the majority whereas, the labour of the
majority is exploited in the production process without
commensurate reward. This sort of explanation makes
people get agitated and in the process, conflict ensues.
Just like we have economic subjugation in the production
process, so we also have political exploitation and
marginalization of the less powerful individuals and
groups by the powerful.it is in reaction to this that we
hear of individuals groups crying out against explanation
and political marginalization. So just like the
functionalists will predicate the rise of ethnic militias
on the need to boost security by providing security to
the people, this perspective would predicate the need for
ethnic militias on the need to curtail the excesses of
14
the exploiters. In respect of the above, virtually all
the regions in Nigeria talk of marginalization and
domination.in the view of Oronsaya and Igbafi [2012], for
the Niger Delta people-in the south-south of Nigeria, the
talk is about economic exploitation and environmental
degradation, For the Igbos it is political
marginalization, for the Hausa-Fulani, it is uneven
development, the northern minorities in the Middle-Belt
talks of internal colonialism, and for the Yoruba it is
power exclusion. This being the case, we find everybody
demanding empowerment on the basis of one assumption or
the other. for example, the O’odua Peoples Congress in
the views of Oronsaye and Igbafi was formed for the
purpose of integrating the aspirations and values of all
the descendants of oduduwa-that is the Yoruba people
[which today has been extended to the it Itshekiri]
mainly because they felt been denied the right and
opportunity to be in power when the June 12, 1993
election believed to have been won by MKO Abiola was
annulled by the Babangida administration. In the same
light as the above, the movement for the actualization of
15
the Sovereign State of Biafra [MASSOB] the majority
militia group for the Igbo people of southeast Nigeria
was formed because of the feeling of marginalization.
This feeling of marginalization dates back to the civil
war between 1967-70, the people feel completely alienated
from the rest of Nigeria since then. Talking on
marginalization, Obianyo [2007], explained that
marginalization is the deliberate disempowerment of a
group of people in the federation politically,
economically, socially and militarily by another group or
group, who during the relevant time frame wielded power
and controlled the allocation of materials and financial
resources at the centre of the federation. He noted
further that ‘’it entails the apparent deliberate
exclusion of any particular group[s]by other similar
group or groups from either having access to, and or
taking due possession of common key position and common
resources as manifested in the political, economic,
military, educational, media and bureaucratic realms.
Along These lines of thought, some Members of the igbo
community feel they are marginalized and look for a
16
Messaiah to liberate them from the shackles of
oppression, hence the formation of the MASSOB.
In the middle belt some groups feel a particular group
colonises them as power continues to rotate within them
and never going to the other groups .this is reflective
of what obtains in Benue state, that the Idoma have not
formed a militia group to fight this marginalization and
neo-colonialism by the Tiv speaks of how peace loving
they are, because the same is not true of other
neighbours, an instance can be taken from the situation
in neighbouring Nasarawa state where some set of the
Eggon, feeling a sense of marginalization and colonialism
in their own land had formed the ombatse cult-a militia
group of the Eggon nation to ensure that they pick the
next position of Governor of state. The Hausa-Fulani have
decried uneven development and in a bid to fight against
this, a section of them have come together to form the
Boko- haram group. Also, today, the Fulani in a bid to
have freedom in pasturing their cattle wherever they want
have formed a militia of Fulani herdsmen that has been
17
terrorizing state as Plateau, Kaduna, Benue among others.
In the same way, the movement for the Emancipation of the
Niger Delta [MEND] seeks to liberate the land from
economic exploitation and environmental degradation.
Looking therefore at the issue carefully, one finds that
the conflict of interests, which breeds competition,
exploitation and marginalization is largely responsible
for the formation of several ethnic militia groups in
Nigeria. Also, the agenda which they seek to achieve had
always informed the pattern of their activities which
have been so atrocious to the rest of Nigeria. Conflict
theory then offers some explanation for the rise of some
ethnic militia groups in Nigeria.
Data Collection
Data collection for this work was done through two major
sources: secondary and primary. Secondary data were got
from textbooks, newspapers and the internet secondly;
primary data were also collected mainly through in-depth
18
interview with a few individuals that have some
understanding on the issue being discussed.
Activities of Ethnic Militias in Contemporary Nigeria.
It should be noted here that the activities of ethnic
militias in Nigeria in recent years have been so enormous
that it become difficult to completely document them.
The emphasis of the world is also not on a documentation
of the array of activities in Nigeria but rather on an
attempt to proffer some workable solution to the threats
posed by them. Thus, it will suffice for one to do a
summary of the activities of these groups in recent
times’
In the south-south of Nigeria, ethnic militia insurgency
is championed by the movement for the Emancipation of the
Niger-Delta (MEND) who posits that they have a mandate to
liberate their land from economic exploitation and
environmental degradation. This group was headed by Mr
Henry Okah and Jomo Gbomo as spokesman. Apart from the
MEND, other splinter groups are spread over the region,
notably among them are the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer
19
Force, under the leadership of Asari Dokubo, the Niger
Delta Vigilante, an ethnic Ijaw militia headed by Ateke
Tom, among others (Wikipedi, 2014). All of them claim to
be driven by the same agenda that drives the MEND. The
havoc wrecked on the Nigerian nation and her people. Over
the years are just beyond count, more so that many of
their atrocities never came to the fore in a way of
summary, they were involved in attacks on Nigeria’s oil
installations, especially those owned and controlled by
the expatriate Multi-National Corporations (MNCs). Their
activities included sabotage, theft, property
destruction, guerrilla warfare and kidnapping (Wikipedia,
2011). During the heat of their activities, dozens of
indigenous expatriate workers and particularly foreign
nationals and security personnel attached the MNCs were
kidnapped and ransom demands made and paid, (Ikelegbe,
2005) while many whose relatives could not afford the
ransom were killed. They did not only stop at the
activities noted above, in their quest to bring to her
knees; they stepped up their activities to other areas
including Abuja where they disrupted the 50th Independence
20
Day Celebration at Eagle Square Abuja as they detonated
two cars laden with bombs on October 1st, 2010 and by that
entrenched the era of bomb blasts in Nigeria (Wikipedia,
2014).
It is true that in 2011, many of these militants laid
down their arms as they claimed to embrace the amnesty
offered them by the then President Umaru Musa Yar-Adua.
However, even since then, it is only the intensity of
Militant activities that have reduced as they continue
till today with their nefarious activities. In the South
West, the O’odua People’s Congress seems to be the force
to reckon with. At inception they professed to work
towards the unity, progress and autonomy of all Oduduwa
descendants but in 1999, the OPC changed its fundamental
objectives from seeking self-determination for Yoruba
people to crime fighting activities and settlement of
personal disputes. As a result of this change in focus,
the OPC became enlisted among the other militia groups in
the country known for violence and crime. They have
been involved in a series of armed attacks and mass
21
murders against other ethnic groups living in the South-
West of Nigeria, particularly in Lagos (Nigeria First,
2003).
Till today, the activities of this group have continued,
only that it has reduced significantly in intensity,
Frederick Fasehun is known to be their founder and
leader.
In the South-East, there are two major ethnic militia
groups: the Movement for the Actualization of the
Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Bakassi Boys.
The MASSOB has a mandate of liberating the Igbo Community
from the acclaimed marginalization it suffers at the
hands of the Nigerian State. In their quest to achieve
their aims, they had frequently clashed with personnel o
the law enforcement agencies leading to deaths on their
part and on that of the agents of law enforcement. They
had also taken reprisal attacks against northerners
sometimes when there were killings involving the Igbos in
the North.
22
The Bakassi Boys on their own part, initially actually
succeeded in reducing armed robbery in the region to a
level not dreamed of. But they later on replaced what
they displaced with another form of criminal violence
which they champion; they are used as political things
and have become puppets in the hands of desperate
politicians. They have also been used to kill members of
other ethnic group (Harnischfeger, 2003).
Recently in 2003, there arose a group known as the
Ombatse Cult; a militia group based in, Alakiyo, close to
Lafia in Nasarawa State. They represent the major
militia group yet in the middle-belt region of Nigeria,
one formed by some Eggon people. The group claimed the
killing of over 80 Nigerian Security Personnel drawn from
the regular Police, the Mobile Police and State Security
Service (SSS) on May 7, 2013. It claims to be a
spiritual cult of the Eggon people (Godwin Tsa 2013); out
for the production of an Eggon governor for the State.
This group have also been involved in clashes with other
groups in the State especially the Alago.
23
The Boko-haram insurgency in the North is about the worst
Nigeria had seen till date apart from the Civil war.
This group has been responsible for so many deaths
through means including bombings, suicide bombings,
shootouts with security Personnel, barracks attacks,
ambushes, road blocks to mention a few. They do not
restrict their to just the hot spots of Borno, Yobe and
Adamawa states but they have extended their criminal
activities to almost every States in the North, only that
the enormity may not be as much as it is in the hot
spots. Even with the ‘State of emergency’ declared their
insurgency has continued accounting for the deaths of
over 1200 Nigerian for a period of about 8 months –may
2013 – January 2014 (BBC News, 12/01/2014). This
insurgency as every Nigerian is aware is on-going. The
‘Ansaru’ had been an offshoot of Boko haram and they have
almost worked together all the while pursuing the same
agenda.
24
In addition to these, they Fulani herdsmen had risen in
several parts of the middle-belt especially, Plateau,
Benue and some parts of Nasarawa States; including Kaduna
killing and maiming Nigerians in a bid to have freedom to
graze without hindrances. All these insurgencies and
criminality that have bedevilled Nigeria beg for
solution. In a bid to proffer solutions, we now turn to
adducing factors that have contributed to the rise of
ethnic militancy in Nigeria.
Factors That Have Contributed to the Rise of Ethnic
Militias In Nigeria
As the saying goes, ‘there is no smoke without fire’, the
rise of ethnic militias in Nigeria have been influenced
by some factors. Worthy of note among them are the
following:
1. Feeling of marginalization and economic exploitation
2. Corruption and Impunity
3. Inadequate expert training
4. Lack of will to enforce territorial security
25
5. Lack of Unity in the battle against insurgencies
feelings of marginalization, economic exploitation
and uneven development.
The feeling of marginalization has wielded some strong
influence on the rise of ethnic militia groups in
Nigeria. As noted earlier, the MASSOB became established
on the feeling that the Ibos had been marginalized in the
scheme of things in Nigeria after the Civil war. The OPC
which formed in a reaction to a feeling of Power
exclusion also has much to do with the undesirable
feeling of marginalization. Economic exploitation had
been noted as a major reason for the rise of militancy in
the Niger Delta. In the North, the feeling has been one
of uneven development. All these in their individual
rights have the capacity to influence the rise of ethnic
militancy. The fact is that nobody feels okay being
pushed to the wall; as this continues to happen, it
reaches a point where that individual if he does not
ignore all odds to fight back will collapse and probably
die. Secondly, nobody also feels okay seeing himself
being cheated, the convention is that all human beings
26
detest it, though not all will react violently when it
happens, but if the situation continues for a time longer
than necessary without considerations for the victim at
the receiving end, the same could of stake his life on
the line to salvage himself; the same is consistent with
groups. The North decries uneven development which is
another form of marginalization.
These situations, though not justifiable in the before
the law, have the capacity to breed violent reaction to
free the people from the shackles of bondage, which is
detestable.
Corruption and Impunity
Another factor to be considered is corruption in high
places which seems to have been given a enabling
environment to thrive in Nigeria as the few exposed
culprits to tend to go with the impunity. The trend in
recent times, since Obasanjo Administration till date
(that is from 1999 till date) suggest a disgusting
pattern with which only those who have fallen out of
favour with the powers that be, especially the president
27
that have agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) sent after and as soon as they are able
to reconcile, the charges against them are dropped
otherwise, those who are friends of the president do not
have their financial misconducts exposed and when they
are, the president does everything within his powers to
shield such a crony. This is the kind of situation
playing out at the moment in the Stella Oduah case of
purchase of two armoured cars for N255m.
Situations as these breed anger which on its part
generate frustration, and frustration if not resolved
could generate aggression, hence violence.
Inadequate Expert Training
Many of our security personnel lack the expert skills
needed to combat and contain the insurgency by these
militia groups. From time to time, Abubakar Shekau, the
leader of the Boko haram and most wanted criminal in
Nigeria appear on Youtube boasting that the Nigerian
Government with its array of Security Forces cannot stop.
He says these, plans the next move and succeeds; is it
28
not surprising that the Nigerian intelligence teams have
been unable to locate the whereabouts of the faceless man
and unveil him? Even if he does not operate from within
Nigeria, can the Nigerian government not collaborate with
those of the neighbouring countries especially that of
Cameroon from where he is thought to operate, so that a
lead can be gotten to his whereabouts? The lack of expert
training to contain insurgency actually gives an impetus
to its sustenance. Had the Niger Delta uprisings been
decisively taken care of, other outbreaks that we have
now would not have been possible, even if they will, then
not as easy as we have them today.
Lack of Will to Enforce Territorial Security
Ensuring territorial security entails the will to
continuously enforce security checks at all check points
and this should be done all the time without laxity and
levity. When security personnel at such check points
allow commuters to pass freely without et actual checks
on the payment of a token fee of N50 (they have graduated
from N20) then the rest of us are put at the mercy of
29
criminals. The other side to this is the non-
availability of sophisticated devices to enhance
effective and efficient checks. This makes some of us
come to feel that the people that control the machinery
of government only pay lip service to the fight against
insurgency in Nigeria if not, the monies allocated to
security by the Federal, State and Local governments in
Nigeria should have been enough to provide these
necessary tools of surveillance to our security personnel
at the checkpoints and public places by now. But where
do we leave corruption when the average Nigerian thinks
of enriching himself as soon as he assures an office of
authority to the detriment of the masses who actually put
him there.
Lack of Unity among Players In The Battle Against
Insurgency In Nigeria
In this regards, the emphasis is on lack of Unity among
these who make decisions concerning combating insurgency
in Nigeria. It is no news that at a point, president
Jonathan Good-Luck declared that he has members of Boko
haram round and about him, in the army, policy, National
30
Assembly, the Presidency to mention but a few. If the
authorities are divided among themselves and the
criminals remain united, it offers them better
opportunities to plan, strategize and strike without any
leakages while our soldiers can be ambushed because of
leakages.
Conclusion
On the basis of the above, results, the following
conclusions are reached:
There will be no need for ethnic militias in Nigeria
if every Nigerian is treated equally and regions
given its fair share in the process of allocation of
resources without any iota of marginalization but in
the spirit of fairness, equity and justice.
Corruption and payment of lip service to the fight
against insurgency with continue to make more rise
from time to time.
Recommendation
31
In a bid to proffer solutions to the lingering problem of
ethnic militias in Nigeria, the following recommendations
are made.
The Nigerian Policy makers and implementers should
be sincere and honest with themselves and the rest
of Nigeria in the business of governance. They
ought to come to the realization that all Nigerians
need to be treated equally and fairly. In the same
way, no region should be given undue preference over
the others and everybody will be happy. In such a
spirit, grievances will be far from the people and
that means that rebellion will also be far.
The government of Nigeria should proscribe all
ethnic militias operating in the country, even those
ones that claim to provide additional security to
the lives and property of members of the society.
The battle against corruption should be fought
without fear or favour. It is as a result of
corruption that grievances heighten, people get
agitated and revolt. In the interest of peace, one
would not recommend for a radical revolution, so
32
power players in Nigeria, the President and his
offices should ensure that corruption in Nigeria is
brought to the barest minimum. This he can do
because it is in his power to do, and if he feels he
is not capable, he should do the honourable, resign
and allow some strong willed Nigerian come to
salvage the rest of Nigeria from the bondage to
corrupt politicians instead of allowing Nigerians to
die at the hands of insurgents and these politicians
as much as this. The insurgents kill but corruption
kills even more.
Our security personnel should be given the requisite
training in accordance with global best practices to
enable them do their job effectively and
efficiently. Their training should go beyond just
handling of weapons to effectiveness in using
sophisticated equipment to improve surveillance;
they should also be equipped with skills and
techniques to improve counterintelligence and
espionage.
33
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Sociology, submitted to the
faculty of Social Sciences. In
partial fulfilment of the requirement for
the award of Doctor of Philosophy,
university of Ibadan, Nigeria
BBC News (2014) Nigeria Violence: Deadly Bomb Blast in Maiduguri,
@www.bbc.com/africa
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