Features
Neighbourhood Watch And Internal Security In Rivers
Mazi Emmanuel Onyema wrote in 2011 that, “the maintenance of law and order in Nigeria, recently, has been so challenging to the extent that the ability to manage our internal security by the security agencies is being doubted by the citizenry”. He further stated that, primarily, the Federal Government is charged statutorily through the military and paramilitary agencies to protect the citizens from all forms of security threat and incident like armed robbery, kidnapping, civil disorder, large scale violence, insurgency, domestic terrorism and other forms of security breaches.
The height of the threat was the Boko Haram attacks on the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters on the 16th of June, 2011. The most disturbing one was the bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja by the same Boko Haram. Internationally we get embarrassed by the Federal Government ineptitude at reducing and preempting the attacks by terrorists as manifested in the Kidnap of the 276 female students in Chibok, Borno State in 2014 as well as the recent kidnapping of the 110 of the Dappchi female students in 2018 in Yobe State.
This narrative has been the experiences of Rivers State; most prominent was the spark off after granting of the amnesty to the Niger Delta freedom fighters, and the episode that followed 2015 general elections. The spate of internal insecurity in Rivers State has facilitated huge rural-urban migration due to the unsafe situation and poor rural infrastructure.
The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has provided splendid financial, logistics and moral support to the law enforcement agents domiciled in Rivers State to assist them in fighting and reducing crime and criminality. The governor is handicapped when it comes to enforcement of the Law in the State because of the faulty federal system operational in Nigeria which monopolizes the management of the security architecture. It is obvious that there are security gaps that allow these atrocities to be perpetuated without fear of being caught. The sensitive issue concerning the internal security of Rivers State is that, the State being the Treasure Base of the nation, and the Centre of the Niger Delta States that produces the largest chunk of the wealth of the nation is being treated with levity and political gerrymandering when it comes to the seriousness it deserves.
Rivers State is so strategic that all most all the former Heads of State and government of Nigeria have properties in the State. More so, there are many oil and gas companies and industries that are operating in the State. Her strategic location is very infectious and tallies with the domino theory of prevailing vices and virtues prevalent in the State that tend to influence her neighboring States. Therefore, the internal security condition of Rivers State is very strategic to the primary interest of Nigeria.
The gap in security is mainly on intelligence gathering and synergy of security operatives. This is the security gap that the Neighborhood Watch Safety Corp in Rivers state is billed to address, though the creation of the agency has generated a lot of controversies which are mere political and diversionary due to spurious apprehensions by the detractors of the State government, who are very desperate to take over the mantle of leadership of the State by any means even unorthodox political approaches. Their dispositions against the establishment of a non-kinetic security structure that will assist the security agencies to protect lives, properties and reduce the level of fear of people about their environment, and ameliorate the impact of crimes on our national psyche, development· and international image leave so much to be deserved.
It is expedient to note here that Neighborhood watch programs started in the United States of America as far back as the colonial days and was improved upon in the 1960’s. It started as a response to the rape and murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens, New York when people became outraged that at least three dozen witnesses did nothing to prevent the crime.
In the United Kingdom, the first Neighborhood Watch was set up in Mollington, Cheshire in 1982 following the success of a similar scheme in Chicago in the United States. Many more schemes followed throughout the UK, and it is now claimed that over 3.8 million households are covered by the scheme.
The history of neighborhood watch in Nigeria can be traced back to when the British Council and Department For International Developing (DFID) introduced the Neighborhood Watch/Community Policing to the then Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun in 2005 to bridge the gap between the police and community participation in security. They had five pilot States namely: Enugu, Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Kaduna. Enugu and Lagos passed theirs into Law in 2010 before other States began to emulate and passed theirs equally into law. The intention is to get the people involved in the security architecture of their environment.
The introduction of Neighborhood Watch Safety Corp in Rivers State is an effective non- kinetic management of internal security operation in the State. There has been glaring upsurge of internal security challenges in Rivers Sate before and after the emergence of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme to the repentant Niger Delta freedom fighters. Rivers State has recorded incidents of cult recruitment and clashes, kidnapping, ritual killings, robbery, oil bunkery, pipeline vandalization, community clashes, among others. These acts are likely to cause breach of peace, fear and under development, restiveness and killings which constitute a serious menace to our society.
It is obvious that, there is serious gap in security operation in Nigeria. This has made it possible for crimes not to be pre-empted. Kidnappers abduct and escape with their victims without being caught. This gap is instrumental to criminals committing heinous crimes without being traced or nabbed by security agents. The introduction of the Neighborhood Watch Safety Corp in Rivers State is an innovative non-kinetic approach to filling the security gap and reducing crime and cult related activities in the State.
Non-Kinetic Security approach is not “getting physical” in destroying enemy forces through application of physical explosives, rather, the use of non-military approach/force, information, psychological, diplomatic, economic, social and technological tools of the statecraft to achieve national interests and objectives by either acquiescing or impairing the will of the adversary. When you pre-empt the commission of a crime or locate a criminal after committing a crime, you have impaired his will power to committing a crime. Non-kinetic approach can be viewed as an instrument of war and not peace. It is a psychological warfare whereby the weapons of war are not physically tangible but it disarms your adversary from the position of power to weakness.
The Objectives of Neighborhood Watch include:
*To improve community safety generally which includes fire safety;
*To prevent crime by improving security, increasing vigilance, creating and maintaining a caring community and reducing opportunities for crime by increasing crime prevention awareness;
*To assist the police in detecting crime by promoting effective communication and the prompt reporting of suspicious and criminal activity;
*To reduce undue fear of crime by providing accurate information about risks and by promoting a sense of security and community spirit, particularly amongst the more vulnerable members of the community;
*To improve police/community liaison by providing effective communications through Neighborhood Watch messaging systems which warn coordinators of local crime trends which they can disseminate to their scheme members, and by members informing the police of incidents when they occur.
The operations of the Corp do not include the use of arms nor force as an approach to combating crime. No person should be worried about the proliferation of arms in Rivers State as a result of the creation of the intelligence and information safety corp; it will be intelligence base, information gathering and distribution, a community mobilized intelligence network, involving the people in the security of their environment.
The operation is targeted at preempting commission of crime, and making it possible for law enforcement agents to get information about crime and, also apprehend criminals after committing a crime. It is also aimed at making the environment safe and free from fear; unsafe for criminals, and criminal hideouts. Its operation will equally create fear of being caught on the psyche of criminals. No criminal wants to be caught while committing a crime, that is why some robbers shoot and kill their victims due to fear of revelation of their identity.
Neighborhood Watch will mobilize the people, neighborhood, civil society organizations, legionnaires, market women associations, chiefs, community leaders, youth organizations, social clubs, professional organisations, drivers and road user associations, politicians, etc. to key into the project of people-oriented security management in Rivers State.
If we allow innovations of new security management approach to thrive in Rivers State without politicizing it, it will be an invention for crime control and reduction. A condition that will create a conducive atmosphere for peace, investment, employment opportunities and development. This security approach is part of the new Rivers Vision.
Dr. Thom-Otuya is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Security Consultant.
Blessing Thom-Otuya
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku