10 things Nigeria must do to end Boko Haram, banditry, others – Report

The Senate ad-hoc committee on security challenges last Wednesday disclosed its findings on why the nation’s security agencies are underperforming in the fight against insecurity. The Senate had, in January, constituted the committee, chaired by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, to engage the security agencies with a view to restructuring the country’s security architecture. Senator Abdullahi presented […]

The Senate ad-hoc committee on security challenges last Wednesday disclosed its findings on why the nation’s security agencies are underperforming in the fight against insecurity.

The Senate had, in January, constituted the committee, chaired by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, to engage the security agencies with a view to restructuring the country’s security architecture.

Senator Abdullahi presented the committee’s 74-page report during plenary, detailing its general findings and strategies to address insecurity.

The report said the existing laws governing the security architecture were antiquated with conflicts, overlapping of jurisdictions and lack of definition of role, among other.

Here are some of the solutions the committee suggested:

1. There should be an amendment of the Acts establishing security agencies to address the identified challenges and make them more efficient and effective.

2. The Nigerian Army should be equipped with anti-drone systems to counter the Boko Haram insurgents, which were now using cheap commercial drones to survey troop positions for attack planning.

3. All joint operations should be carried out strictly in accordance with extant operational procedures provided in the Armed Forces Act.

4. The military should strictly stay within the limits of its constitutional provisions which determine its involvement and deployment.

5. Acquisition of defence related equipment should be conducted by a centre to ensure interface and interchange of platforms for proper coordination and training.

6. Training institutions’ curricular should be harmonized to ensure that all personnel develop the standard ethos of leadership and discipline.

7. All military commanders should be directly held responsible for failure to achieve operational targets and set objectives.

8. The Military should maintain proper and clear system of rewards and discipline such that there would be no discrimination or favoritism in the career management of officers and men.

9. The Police Command structure should be decentralized with operational and budgetary powers vested in the zonal commands.

10. The almajiri system should be scrapped and the out-of-school children be ploughed into the normal school system.