The simple reason INSURGENCY induced insecurity is festering in Nigeria is because no sitting C-in-C had instituted a National Scientific Intelligence Gathering Progamme that by-passes the TRUST problem between the Citizens and security agencies, particularly the Police, in the process of offering intelligence on insecurity; that he can verify if the need arises, as the Supreme Commander in charge of the Operational Component of all Arms Bearing Security Establishments in Nigeria- Emeka Oraetoka, a non-kinetic security strategist
The federal government has spent a lot of money, in effort at decisively fighting insecurity that has plagued Nigeria for about fifteen years now. But why is government not getting the desired result, despite the huge amount of money spent so far? This writer believes that lack of understanding of the nature of insecurity confronting us as a country, and how to go about it, is largely responsible for the poor result we are getting against the insurgents.
We tend believe that insecurity in Nigeria is a common criminal activity of hoodlums across the country. A careful look at the nature of insecurity like, banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, unknown-gun activity and other organized crimes, one thing stands out- there is sophistication in organization and delivery of those crime types. It will however, be simplistic to insist that the insecurity we are facing in Nigeria is perpetrated by common criminal elements. This writer thinks Nigeria is grappling with INSURGENCY induced insecurity. We may note that a common criminal that gets tutorial from the mastermind (s) of this insecurity, has automatically become an insurgent and no more ordinary criminal. Insurgency is either ideologically or religiously driven; and so, any effort that is not aimed at systematically preventing it may fail. Nigeria is probably failing in the fight against insurgency because it has not seen its prevention as a national priority.
A common definition of insurgency will suffice here. “It is an organized rebellion aimed at overthrowing a constituted government, through the use of subversion and armed conflict”. From the definition, it can be seen that one factor serves as its lubricant -Subversion. You cannot talk of subversion without Infiltration. In truth, which common criminals will take battle to army formation or barrack to kill solders? It is impossible, but insurgents, apart from killing civilians, are also killing soldiers and policemen in their barracks and via ambush too. So, when government treats the problem of INSURGENCY induced insecurity as activity of common criminals, it begs the real issue.
I have always maintained that the only way INSURGENCY induced insecurity can be comprehensively defeated is for President Bola Tinubu (GCFR), in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the federal republic of Nigeria, to introduce what I call Securing Nigeria Together (SNT) initiative; through Anonymous Mail-in Intelligence Gathering System (AMIIGS). This type of intelligence gathering will attract the buy-in of the citizens, because as the name implies, the identity of intelligence supplier is protected. This Anonymous Mail-in Intelligence Gathering System (AMIIGS) is Scientific in nature. It is based on the principle of, “the best security stops crime before it starts”. AMIIGS is a community based intelligence gathering for the Prevention of INSURGENCY induced insecurity in Nigeria. AMIIGS removes the TRUST problem between Citizens and security agencies, particularly the police, when it comes to offering intelligence on crime generally.
AMIIS is an improved version of Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It may be recalled that DHS was established after 9/11 terrorist attacks that left almost four thousand (4000) Americans and non Americans dead. This attack was carried out by less than 30 individuals. From the attack, America felt that it was better to prevent further terrorist attacks, than to fight it. AMIIgS is an improvement on DHS in America. While American DHS works through agencies, in AMIIS, Nigerians are the driving force. In AMIIGS, 200m Nigerians have equal access to intelligence supply, in a manner that bypasses the TRUST gap between citizens and security agencies. Since AMIIGS is to Prevent insecurity, the security agency is to determine whether any intelligence supplied, is Actionable or Not.
Many Nigerians have voiced their concern about the escalating insecurity in Nigeria and even offered their version of solution to the menace. But that solution may not come because they seem to be asking government to tackle insecurity, instead of calling the Head of State- President Tinubu (GCFR) to take the bull by the horn, by introducing indirect intelligence gathering process to complement the direct ones we have right now. The reason Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari cold not tame insecurity during their era was that they fought it as conventional insecurity. So far, I think there is nothing President Tinubu-led government has not done to tame insecurity in the country. The President is even pushing for the establishment of State Police as solution. If insecurity in a particular environment arose out of infiltration and subversion, no type of policing architecture can solve it. The Head of State must involve the citizens in a structured intelligence gathering process, that ensures their protection after offering information on insecurity in their respective communities, both urban and rural setting alike. This is what I think is basically lacking in Nigeria right now.
To this writer, the solution lies in alternative Intelligence Gathering system that can solve the vexed problem of “Preconceived Mindset” of Nigerians in terms of who is causing insecurity, depending on where they are from (geopolitical zone) in the country, and this is where AMIIGS comes in handy. For instance, it is almost given that if there is any attack in the north, it will almost automatically be linked to Boko Haram, particularly by people in the south. In the south east, once there is terrorist attack, people from that region may say it was from either Fulani herdsmen or Boko Haram; while Nigerians from outside the region, may link the attack to IPOB or ESN.
When AMIIGS comes into effect, this preconceived mindset will give way for objective assessment of who is responsible for insecurity in every state in Nigeria. Because of the scientific nature of AMIIGS, misinformation and disinformation around insecurity will also give way because the concept of “Securing Nigeria Together” will apply. Accurate information around insecurity will be available to everyone in every state in Nigeria. The call for collective action against insecurity by two former presidents of Nigeria, general Yakubu Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo, can be actualized through AMIIGS in an organic manner because all Nigerians can easily key into it as a result of its identify protection . All that is needed is for President Tinubu to take ownership by issuing Executive Order on AMIIGS as another intelligence supply option in every community in Nigeria. As we all know, every community in Nigeria has an intelligence gathering ecosystem comprising: Traditional/ Community leaders, Religious leaders, NATO leaders, Road Transport Workers leaders, Leaders of Keke NAPEPE leaders, Okada riders’ leaders etc. AMIIGS is to be introduced by the C-in-C to complement the intelligence gathering channels mentioned here.
AMIIGS will represent a classical non-kinetic approach to prevention of INSURGENCY induced insecurity in Nigeria. The task before the new Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), a non-kinetic officer, Major General Waidi Shaibu, is to incorporate AMIIGS into military intelligence gathering ecosystem for enhanced operational efficiency and effectiveness. AMIIGS is perhaps the only progamme ever designed for the office of a sitting C-in-C of the federal republic of Nigeria. As it is today, only the C-in-C, in his capacity as the Head of State (HoS) can order Securing Nigeria Together (SNT), because it is an operational matter. The main driver of operation is intelligence gathering. And in operation, it is rule of engagement, not rule of law; and the C-in-C, Bola Tinubu (GCFR) is the supreme commander in charge of the operational component of all arms bearing security establishments in Nigeria. AMIIGS is an attempt at truly given a sitting C-in-C scientific power to verify intelligence gathered by security agencies; particularly the police, on INSURGENCY induced insecurity in Nigeria, if the need arises
Emeka Oraetoka
Is a Non-kinetic Security Strategist. He doubles as Advocacy Head, Anonymous Mail-In Intelligence Gathering System (AMIIGS)
Wrote in from Abuja. e-mail:giltsdaimension@gmail.com.
