NATIONAL SECURITY The Bedrock of A Prosperous and Democratic Society

FIGHTING TERROR, BANDITRY AND VIOLENT AGITATION

Though weakened and fragmented due to the efforts of our armed forces and their own internal fissures, terrorists in the North continue to spread violence and fear. Extremely violent banditry in parts of the North is now almost indistinguishable from the work of the terrorist network. Various groups espousing violent agitation foment disorder in various parts of the south. Despite their names and professed goals, these violent and illicit associations are nothing more than criminal enterprises. They trade in evil, using violence as their coinage.

The fundamental responsibility of government is the protection of its citizens. We shall be committed to mobilising the totality of our national security and law enforcement assets to protect all Nigerians from danger and the fear of danger. We will expand and improve efforts to deploy cutting-edge technology, enhance recruitment of personnel and bolster existing agencies and systems to achieve this fundamental national security goal.

The present government has made important inroads. My administration will build on those achievements to completely erase this menace against the freedom, security and prosperity of this nation and its law-abiding citizenry. We will take the following steps: Redefine Military Doctrine & Practice Placing great emphasis on counterinsurgency doctrine and practice (Fourth Generation Warfare), anti-terrorist battalions [ABATTS] (with attached special forces units) will be deployed in each of the six geoppolitical zones to improve the strength and rapid response capacity of our military. Units will be equipped with better tactical communications and all-terrain vehicles, giving them dual communications and mobility advantage over the extremists.

The battalions and special units will give terrorists no rest. They shall know no respite until they cease to exist.

We will also address the welfare concerns of frontline military and security personnel. Improved special, individual and family allowances, improved compensation and guaranteed medical care for the injured will be established. A special program providing housing, scholarships, stipends, and health insurance for the families of our fallen heroes will also be created.

Exploit Aerial and Technological Superiority Taking greater advantage of our aerial superiority, we shall significantly reduce the ability of terrorist groups to strike against harmless towns and villages. This will be achieved by deploying static aerial surveillance platforms augmented by high-tech drones.

With this continuous aerial coverage, we will be able to identify, monitor, track and deter criminal and terrorist groups before they can attack civilian populations. Combined with human intelligence gathering, these assets will disrupt the lucrative supply and trade routes that feed and sustain these groups. Secure Critical National Infrastructure Similarly, we shall initiate a comprehensive study of critical infrastructure and how to protect it. Integral to this effort shall be the use of sophisticated technological means to subdue crude oil theft, vandalisation of assets, and environmental pollution of the Niger Delta and elsewhere.

Attacks on vital infrastructure have serious implications for our economy and the overall public welfare. We shall wed increased aerial surveillance over land and sea with cutting edge technology to safeguard our oil pipelines and related installations. Technology will also be used to monitor power stations, transmission and distribution networks, sea and airports, rail transportation and other vital infrastructure.

Increase Military & Security Personnel

The number of active duty military personnel are inadequate given the myriad security challenges we face. We will address this issue through incremental and voluntary recruitment into all armed forces and security services. We shall integrate at least 500,000 new, well-equipped and well-trained positions across all military and security services within the first 12 months.

Reposition The Police

Police reform will better focus the institution on its primary duty of maintaining law and order through crime fighting as well as crime prevention. Police personnel will be freed from extraneous duties.

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) shall be evaluated and reformed to enhance the capabilities of our internal security and police agencies

Win Hearts and Minds

Using targeted economic assistance programs, we shall expand the support offered by government to local communities distressed by terrorist and other violent groups. We will enhance the collection of on-the-ground intelligence in these areas to better identify and combat terrorists, bandits and violent agitators in various parts of the country.

Military and other security agencies will be active participants and contributors to these localised assistance programs.

For example, rehabilitation of the Lake Chad Basin economic ecosystem and other subnational economic systems affected by violent groups will be prioritised under this Civilian Assistance Program.

In the Niger Delta, great emphasis will be placed on environmental clean-up and establishment of fisheries and other profitable aquacultural activities.

In the end, restoring economic hope and vitality to these regions will materially reduce the ranks of disaffected youth willing to join extremist groups out of the despair and alienation that poverty can bring.

By defeating poverty, we shall do much to defeat all forms of extremist ideology.

RESOLVING HERDER AND FARMER CLASHES

Modernity and climate change render pastoralism increasingly disruptive and, in the long run, untenable. Through no fault of their own, herders must abandon their old ways to embrace sedentary husbandry. To minimise the dislocation and tension that accompanies such historic change, government must play an active role in easing the herders’ transition while also advancing the interests of farming communities. To achieve this, we shall:

(i) enhance deployment of law enforcement and security personnel to known trouble spots, particularly during the dry season or where there are early signs of potential conflict.

(ii) establish early warning / conflict resolution mechanisms in close collaboration with state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders, and representatives of farmer and herder associations.

(iii) with the collaboration of the states, create specially designated grazing areas, ranches and zones. The federal govrnment will purchase the land from the states at a reasonable price and provide it to herders for grazing and dairy farming purposes.

(iv) establish a fast-acting Recovery Fund for farming communities affected by conflict with herders. The fund will be used to fully compensate farmers in communities affected by violence. The fund will rebuild residences, and help farmers with seeds, implements, fertiliser, and other assistance such as short-term bridge loans to protect them from permanent economic failure due to localised clashes.