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Government Strategies And Management Of Security Challenges In Nigeria
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The
freedom from danger, care intimidation, apprehension, the feeling or
assurance of safety, peace of mind or absence of fear, and the certainty
or assurance of the good life or welfare – constitutes one of the
fundamental objectives and indeed the foremost responsibility of every
government and the state. In Nigeria, the constitution unequivocally
spelt out as a fundamental objective and directive principle of state
policy that “the security and welfare of the people (of Nigeria) shall
be the primary purpose of government†(Section 14 (2) (b) Constitution
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999). Nigeria in recent times has
witnessed an unprecedented level of insecurity. No wonder national
security has become an issue for government, prompting huge allocation
of the national budget to security. According to Azazi (2011), in order
to check the crime rate in Nigeria, the federal government has embarked
on criminalization of terrorism by passing the anti-terrorism Act in
2011, installation of computer-based Closed Circuit Television cameras
(CCTV) in some parts of the country, enhancement of surveillance as well
as investigation of criminal related offences, heightening of physical
security measures around the country aimed at determining or disrupting
potential attacks, strengthening of security agencies through the
provision of security facilities and the development and broadcast of
security tips in mass media. Despite these efforts, the level of
insecurity in Nigeria is still high and the country has been
consistently ranked low in the Global Peace Index (GPI, 2012),
signifying poor state of insecurity in the country as indicated.
The
term security has been used to mean protection against or safety from a
future risk of severe deprivation, injury or death and requires rules,
order and impartial adjudication and application. Security according to
Achumba, Ighomereho & Akpo-Robaro (2013) refers to a situation that
exists as a result of the establishment of measure for the protecting of
persons, information and property against hostile persons, influences
and actions. It is the existence of conditions within which people in a
society can go about their normal daily activities without any threat to
their lives or properties. It embraces all measures designed to protect
and safeguard the citizenry and the resources of individuals, groups,
businesses and the nation against sabotage or violent occurrence
(Achumbo et al, 2013). Security is the protection against all forms of
harm whether physical, economic or psychological. It is however argued
that security may not be absence of threats or security issues but the
ability to rise to the challenges posed by threats with expediency and
expertise. Security cannot therefore exist without provision for
national security. Aggressive and repressive states can be major sources
of human insecurity and a greater source of human suffering.
National
security is concerned about those governmental institutions that seek
to ensure the physical protection and safety of their citizens, their
equal access to the law and protection of from abuse. There are two sets
of government systems and institutions concerned with national
security. The first component consists of the traditional instruments of
national security, namely: the criminal justice system (police, justice
and correctional services/prisons) the military and the intelligence
community. The second and more important, relates to the nature of
governance, its institutions and rules, norms and values that underpin
it – as well as the efficacy thereof (Thamos, 2008).
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