Gov Sheriff’s security model: A perspective from Chad

Indeed, mindful of the heavy burden of protecting lives and property of the people and concerned about the critical role security plays in the overall development of the State, Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State has, since assumption of office as Executive Governor, continued to rise to the challenges of providing adequate security to […]

Indeed, mindful of the heavy burden of protecting lives and property of the people and concerned about the critical role security plays in the overall development of the State, Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State has, since assumption of office as Executive Governor, continued to rise to the challenges of providing adequate security to the people of the State. His conviction is that if government cannot protect the people it no doubt loses its essence. Little wonder, then, that His Excellency, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is extremely passionate about issues of security, as any visitor to most parts of the State will readily attest.   

On the 8th of December, 2009, the Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Chad, Ambassador A. A. Omaki and the Chadian Secretary of State for External Relations, Ambassador Moussa Djidda Outman, paid glowing tributes to Governor Ali Modu Sheriff over what they considered his remarkable model for security in the region. These commendations were made in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, during the second session of the Joint Implementation Committee of the Nigeria-Chad Commission. At the end of the meeting, a bilateral agreement was signed between Nigeria and the neighbouring Chad Republic on, amongst other things, security and trans-border relations. Bilateral agreement is intended to foster collaboration among the military, customs, immigration as well as other security agencies from the two countries so as to check trans-border crimes. The agreement also covered education, scientific and trade cooperation, all aimed at stamping out the problems of insecurity, economic depression, poverty, drought, and to foster trade and investments.   

Even though the signing of the memoranda formed the nucleus of the meeting, delegates could not help noting how much the Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Chad and Chadian Secretary of State for External Relations showered encomiums on Governor Ali Modu Sheriff for his untiring efforts at fostering cordial relationships between Borno State and its neighbouring countries. Ambassador Omaki, Nigeria’s envoy to Chad, specifically said that the visionary leadership of the Governor, especially in the matter of diplomatic relations with Chad, had greatly facilitated the work of Nigeria’s mission to that country, but also to the neighbouring countries of Cameroon and Niger. Governor Sheriff’s administration was credited with regularly inviting high officials of state from these neighbouring countries to be part of special events in Borno and by returning such visits. Prior to this practice of reciprocal invitations initiated by Governor Sheriff, inter-border clashes among communities over farmlands, water, animals, and so on, were the order of the day. Cross-border armed banditry was also very rampant. Strikingly also, there was virtually no cooperation among security forces in neighbouring countries, with the implication that the entire region was a safe haven for criminals. Individuals would commit crimes in one country and flee to another, and that was the end of the matter. One important security implication of Governor Sheriff’s initiatives is the significant drop in inter-border clashes and armed banditry, as well as an excellent cooperation and understanding among security agencies in the region.

Students of International Relations in the Nigerian context will no doubt recognise in Governor Sheriff’s style what has been referred to as the theory of concentric circles in the practice of International Relations. While Africa remains the centre-piece of our foreign policy, emphasis has to be laid on our immediate neighbours. Happenings there are likely to have, and have indeed had, repercussions within the country. Governor Sheriff’s model of security via diplomacy is ample illustration of the theory of concentric circles. Governor Sheriff, is not one who believes that security in the region can only be enhanced by consulting experts in Europe and North America. In paying attention to the external track of security, the Governor has not neglected the need for internal policing. On the contrary, his achievements in this area (in spite of what the one or other ugly event might suggest) are in fact impeccable. For instance, in 2008 the Governor launched an initiative code-named “Operation Flush II”, an inter-service outfit comprising the Police, Army and the Air-force. To ensure that logistics would not stand in the way of optimal performance, Governor Sheriff made available, among others, over one hundred and fifty patrol vehicles, equipped with contemporary communication gadgets.

Adequate funding has also been guaranteed for the outfit in all the nooks and crannies of the State where they operate. Fuel depots were established across the entire 27 local governments for the patrol vehicles to always re-fuel where there was need. Indeed, the strategy worked significantly because in just a few weeks armed banditry became somewhat history not only around border areas but in virtually all parts of Borno and till this moment, this is the situation across the home of peace. Any visitor to any part of the State will see Operation Flush teams strategically positioned in different locations of a given town.

In the same vein, Governor Sheriff has mainstreamed local vigilante groups into the security strategy of the State. Groups of local hunters who know their terrain better than any other outfit have been organised into complementary community policing outfits. They have been given patrol vehicles suitable for the difficult terrain they cover. They have also been placed on salaries. Thanks to this initiative. Criminals who in the past could only be apprehended by regular security agencies with a lot of difficulty for geographical and cultural reasons no longer have a hiding place. These and other components of the Governor’s model for security would not have been possible without a vibrant State Security Committee (made up of Security Chiefs from the Army, Police, Air-force, State Security Service, Immigration, Customs and Civil Defence Corps). Their professionalism and cooperation have been exemplary. Similarly, the help of the Federal Government has been commendable.

Liberty is Special Adviser on Information and Media to Governor Ali Modu Sheriff. He can be reached at [email protected]