Ensuring security through private sector initiatives

Subject to its wider ramifications, the burden of maintaining security is too cumbersome to be handled by a solitary institution in a heterogeneous country like Nigeria. Thus, multi-stakeholders’ approach is often more necessary where there is a rise in the level of security challenges. Therefore, security should be a collective effort of the government plus […]

Subject to its wider ramifications, the burden of maintaining security is too cumbersome to be handled by a solitary institution in a heterogeneous country like Nigeria.

Thus, multi-stakeholders’ approach is often more necessary where there is a rise in the level of security challenges. Therefore, security should be a collective effort of the government plus other state and non-state actors, including the private sectors.

The word ‘security’ simply implies the protection of lives and properties of people from various forms of threat.  It occupies the highest level of priority in the hierarchy of responsibility by the government.

The contribution of private sectors in ensuring security can be rendered through various channels including construction of security facilities, donations of logistics to security services and providing equipment at their disposal during emergency response situations such as fire outbreaks, accidents, building collapse and natural disasters such as flooding, earthquake, etc.

Other alternatives include community participation in securing their locality in collaboration with police, i.e. the neighbourhood watch or vigilante group, involvement of religious and traditional leaders in disputes resolution among their followers and services provided by the business enterprises to their host communities through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

To that effect, the role being played by the famous Civilian Joint Task Forces (Civilian JTF), through collaboration with the security agencies in countering the violent extremism of Boko Haram terrorists in the North East is very commendable. Such volunteer groups provide invaluable intelligence that led to the uncovering of many deadly terrorist cells and their subsequent elimination.

Now that the terrorists are surrendering, community leaders, civil society groups and NGOs have a greater job to embark on sensitizing the public in de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant terrorists into the society. This will go a long way in maintaining the security of lives and properties of people.

In the Niger Delta region where the problem of insecurity is mostly attributed to the feeling of anger and frustration by host communities due to negligence of CSR initiatives, the oil companies have turned a good leaf by changing the narratives.

The multinational corporations are now actively involved in provision of infrastructure s such as schools, hospitals, roads and water supply to their host communities.

This initiative has no doubt contributed immensely in reducing the militants’ activities and other security tensions in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

Moreover, several societal figures and organizations were known for their efforts in construction and rehabilitation of security outfits across the country.

Even the traditional institutions were not left out as Oba (Alhaji) Dauda Ajolola Adebimpe Akinfolabi of Ayedade Local Government Area of Osun State, built a divisional police headquarters as well as office for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) office.

In addition, the private security companies are also part and parcel of the security architecture of every country. The responsibility of a private security guard is ‘securing the lives and properties of the client’. The client may be an individual, organization, private institution, government, etc. However, experience has shown that guards can perform additional functions other than just protecting the lives and properties of the client.

Their large number and widespread presence makes them a critical part of the security system of the nation.

Sequel to that, Nigeria’s Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism, has succinctly acknowledged the role of the prominent private sector in national security.

Mukhtar Ya’u sent this piece from Kano