Herdsmen attacks and implications for national security (II)

Personal attacks on the President alleging that he is insensitive to the plight of those being attacked because he is a Fulani and is sympathetic to his brother Fulani Herdsmen is also absurd and unwarranted. The President for God sake is not expected take a position or make utterances that can be misconstrued. Those who need to know are aware that the President has issued necessary directives aimed at containing the issue and resolving it amicably. Those claiming to represent the herdsmen, the Miyetti Allah similarly need to exercise caution and restrain in their utterances as their disposition on the issue is compounding the rather volatile situation. The quest for solution to the problem in my view should go beyond the inciting sentiments being expressed. Also deserving serious consideration are claims by spokesperson of the Miyetti Allah, the umbrella body of Fulani herdsmen, that the Fulanis responsible for the mayhem being perpetuated across the country are foreigners. This claim in my view should be clues that need to look into. Also, a question that should naturally be asked in the light of this claim is, are those responsible foreign terrorists element that use the cover of herdsmen? Or are we dealing with a more serious and sinister threat? The security establishment needs to seek answers to these questions. Other disclosures that should be interrogated are the purported international terrorist networks in the subregion.

On the part of the security agencies it must be clearly stated that, their response to the attacks by herdsmen cannot be said to be satisfactory. Granted, the security agencies are contending with the problems of lack of equipment, vehicles, as well as, manpower shortage. These limitations should not have resulted in their being taken unawares to the extent their ability to respond promptly to distress calls is impaired. What really is responsible for that in almost all the cases of attacks on communities by herdsmen? What all these portend is, there are either fundamental lapses in the security set up that seem to affect their ability to promptly response to distress calls. The defects, flaws and gaps in our National Security architecture have severally been identified and seen as, partially responsible for the security failures in the country. But what really are the problems responsible for the current security failures? First and foremost, there is the problem of inadequate manpower. The country one must say, is seriously under-policed. The security agencies especially the Nigeria Police and the State Security Service must be allowed to recruit more hands to fill the manpower gaps if they are to perform effectively. Secondly, there is the problem of equipment and vehicles. Almost all security agencies are at the moment facing problems of dearth of equipment and operational vehicles. This need to be looked into. Thirdly, there are the problem of deficiencies in ideas and approaches for dealing with contemporary security challenges. I have severally pointed out that, we cannot fight contemporary security challenges with outdated ideas and structure. There must therefore be, massive restructuring of the security agencies if the current threats to security are to be effectively dealt with.

Not the least important is manpower development. The issue of training and retraining should be a priority to all the security and law enforcement agencies. Fourthly, there are problems associated with intelligence gathering, coordination and timely dissemination. There is the belief that most of the attacks would have been averted if intelligence obtained were timely shared and acted upon. Fifthly, the response time even when reports of imminent attacks are reported is very poor. In almost all the attacks by herdsmen it has been reported that security personnel turned up at the scene only after the damage has been done. The problem of reacting to threats instead of proactively dealing with them therefore still persists. Sixthly, there is the need to see the menace of attacks by Fulani herdsmen in a large context. Based on unverified information thrown up there are claims that the Fulani herdsmen involved are from neighbouring countries. As pointed out previously, the ECOWAS must be brought in. This is why the ongoing efforts by the Minister of Interior must be supported. We must also not discountenance the claims from some quarters that some deadly terrorists groups including the Islamic State (IS) have made inroads into the country. Such information should not be treated casually. It is important to note that the claims give credence to disclosures that the recent attacks are beyond the ability of ordinary Fulani.

The search for solutions to the menace of the herdsmen has as usual attracted several solutions. It is advised that caution is exercised in the search for solutions. For example, the proposal for the setting up of colonies is hardly a solution. The questions being asked are has this suggestion taken into consideration the pastoral nature of the Fulani herdsmen? Why should the Fulanis be confined into a colony? Don’t they have the right to move freely like other Nigerians? Also, are we sure that the creation of colonies will not amount to setting the stage for an arrangement that will constitute a huge security problem in the future? The solution I believe is creating enabling atmosphere for peaceful coexistence. The arrangement in the North in the past where forest reserves, grazing reserves and cattle routes are better options. We should in my view accept the realities of the situation on hand. What is important is we should learn to be more tolerant and recognise the right of all and sundry.

In a nutshell, the threat constituted by attacks by herdsmen unless checked will precipitate reprisals and spur the acquisition of dangerous arms, as well as, recourse to self-help by communities. The armed forces and security organizations must brace up to investigate and dispel insinuations that those behind the attacks are not our local herdsmen. Also requiring caution are, the sentiments being expressed by some local elites. This is a time for restrain and support for efforts being made by the government to deal with threats to security in the country.

Gadzama, OFR, mni is a former Director General of the State Security Services (SSS)

For staff of the NIA, the zest and zeal the new Director General came with were unmistakable, all of them immediately aligned with his vision and purpose. Officers of the Agency who, hitherto had regarded him as one of them as well trained, well-motivated, purposeful, thoroughly exposed and above all, professionally inclined were not taken by surprise. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar had proved a point that NIA officers never really retire