OAU Graduate, Oluwadamilola Olawaye Proffers Solution To FG On Insecurity
As the insecurity situation in Nigeria keeps getting worse, there is need for immediate search for solutions.
Apart from the bandits within Nigeria, one of the issues that has also affected the security of the nation is the weakened state of our border security.
Oluwadamilola Olawaye, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University has taken it upon herself to do a research Job that aims at giving solution to the current situation.
In a details research work which she titled “The Dynamics of Transnational Insecurity Challenges and Border Management in Nigeria”, She explained in details the cause of the problem and gave her recommendations.
In her words
“Trans-border crimes are major issues every nation of the world is faced with since the advent of
globalization in the 21st century. In order to effectively combat the issue of transnational
insecurity, there is need for the promulgation of a comprehensive policy on border security and
border management.
This is important to address the problem of limited policy on border security
in Nigeria. These policies would help to redefine the roles of the various government agencies involved in border security and border management taking into consideration global best practices
and current security challenges at the borders.
It is also important for the government to invest heavily in counter terrorism by its training security personnel and educating the public on matters of security. This should be accompanied with the
introduction of electronic gadgets such as metal detectors, security walk-through troughs, CCTV cameras, convex mirrors and atom detectors. Core intelligence agencies such as State Security
Services (SSS), The National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Directorate of Military Intelligence(DMI) and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) should be encouraged to work together for success.
Those at the border control points such as the Customs should tighten the noose on the importation of illegal proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs),
explosives and other offensive weapons. Similarly, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) should mount a formidable campaign against the influx of illegal immigrants and effectively monitor the international borders.
Confronting transnational crimes is not only about patrolling borders but also providing alternative economic opportunities for the most vulnerable sections of the populace by addressing the underlying socio-economic conditions that give rise to crime, poverty, environmental degradation
and social exclusion. The fight against transnational crimes cannot be won through militaristic law
enforcement approaches alone. Criminal activities in the Lake Chad region are rooted in an economic structure that is dysfunctional, unproductive and incapable of providing required
employment, services and goods and a political structure that is unable to guarantee democratic
participation, social welfare services and infrastructure, public security, personal safety and the
rule of law. These factors undermine the capability and legitimacy of the government and aggravate contentious politics, political violence, social fragmentations and struggle for the capture of the state by various groups including criminal groups.
There is therefore the need to adopt
evidence led multi-sectorial approach combining proactive preventive social, economic and political measure with reactive law enforcement measures in order to combat transnational crimes
and insecurity in the Lake Chad Region”
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