STRENGTHENING CIVIL MILITARY RELATIONS IN NIGERIA FOR IMPROVED NATIONAL SECURITY: LESSONS FROM THE FIELD (original) (raw)
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Civil-Military Relations and National Security in Nigeria, 2009-2019
This study evaluated civil-military relations and its impact on national security. The central aim was to investigate the relationship that exists between the Nigerian military and civilians from 2009-2019 with the view to finding out the effects of such relationship on national security. The survey research design was used to accomplish this purpose. The questionnaire and interview guide were the instruments used for data collection. For the survey aspect, 400 questionnaires were distributed and retrieved forming the basis for the questionnaire analysis. For the interview, two respondents were interviewed from the military. The questionnaire data collected were presented in frequency tables and Four-point Likert scale while the interview data were analyzed in themes in line with the research questions. The study found that the relationship between the Nigerian military and the civil society is not as cordial as it should be. It further reviews that effective and positive civilmilitary relations improve national security. The study concludes that the business of securing the territorial borders of any nation relies on the military. This task is as a result of the critical training the military has received over time. On the internal scene, it is the duty of the police to maintain internal law and order among citizens. The inability of the police to handle these internal crises in the country led to the call for assistance from the military. The powers wielded by these military officers eventually led to the overshadowing of the activities of the police who were trained to relate with civilians. It was therefore recommended that: the military should take the issue of community relations seriously. This community relationship building should involve treating the issues of civilian maltreatment by the military as an ill that need to be eradicated.
Roadmap For Fostering Civil Military Relations in Nigeria
The Civil Military Relations (CMR) project was conceived in response to the growing insecurities, mistrust and the changing nature of violent conflicts experienced across Nigeria, especially since the return to democracy in May 1999. The outbreak of violent conflicts and crimes has led to the consequent deployment of the Armed Forces in internal security operations in the country in an unprecedented scale. As at the last count, 30 out of 36 Nigeria's 36 states are hosts to internal security operations being conducted by the Armed Forces. These new found roles of the military have come with little training on how to manage relations with, and expectations of, the civilians as they conduct internal operations or routine responsibilities. More often than not, the conduct of soldiers in routine activities or during internal security operations has given rise to tensions and mistrust from the civilian populace. Yet, robust CMR is critical to the success of military operations and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that the CLEEN Foundation conceived the CMR project as a tool to deepen relations between civilians and the Military in Nigeria. A key product of the project is the CMR Roadmap, designed to provide strategies for fostering healthy CMR in Nigeria. It captures core issues and challenges in the discourse of CMR in Nigeria with recommendations to address them through a multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder approach. The Roadmap was developed through a rigorous process that benefited immensely from the technical expertise of individuals drawn from the Military, para-military agencies, relevant government and non-governmental institutions in Nigeria. Over a period of 18 months with series of steering committee meetings, national stakeholders' dialogues on CMR, national and zonal level reviews and validation workshops, experts painstakingly reviewed and fine-tuned this document to serve as a blueprint for improving the state of CMR in Nigeria. We particularly thank the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force (with their respective Directorates of Civil Military Affairs), Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, National Human Rights Commission, Public Complaints Commission, National Defence College, National Orientation Agency, Nigerian Bar Association, Ministries of Defence, Justice and Women Affairs, Traditional leaders, Alumni Association of the National Defence College, FIDA, INGOs, and CSOs for their contribution in the development of this document. We also express our profound gratitude to technical experts who worked in their personal capacity to critically identify and provide workable solutions to the challenges of CMR in Nigeria. The development of the CMR Roadmap is one of the critical initiatives of civil society to bring together civilians and representatives of the Armed Forces to dialogue and articulate strategies to resolving some of the factors militating against robust CMR in Nigeria. We hope that state and non-state actors will proactively engage with the roadmap towards ensuring that the recommendations contained therein are implemented by the respective stakeholders. The mechanisms developed for monitoring and evaluation of the roadmap will also aid a culture of civilian oversight in entrenching cordial CMR in the country. At this juncture, mention must be made of the recent efforts by the Nigerian Armed Forces who, in recognition of the changing face of internal conflicts, are proactively initiating some quick impact projects and establishing CMR Cells across their Units and Divisions to gain public confidence. At the CLEEN Foundation, we will continue to pursue projects and ideals that promote public safety, security and justice through empirical research, legislative advocacy, demonstration programmes and publications in partnership with government, civil society and the private sector. I thank my colleagues across the CLEEN Offices for their immense support to the successful implementation of this laudable project. With this roadmap, the work has just begun and we all need to roll up our sleeves to consolidate on the achievements recorded.
Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University, 2018
The primary responsibility of a state is the protection of its citizens against external aggression and internal violence and disturbances. Conventionally, the latter is normally the duty of the police. However, in Nigeria as in many African states, as violence erupts and the security situation worsens, government often relies on deploying the military to enforce orderliness and the return of peace. This action is largely due to the inability of the police to contain violent conflicts, especially where the security of the citizenry is threatened by armed groups. This is the situation in Plateau State, Nigeria where the military is used for military internal security operations since violence broke out between Christians and Muslims in Jos, on 7 September 2001. Several studies have indicated support for the use of the military as a ‘necessary evil’ to enforce ceasefires and ensure the return to peace. However, this study finds that using the military evokes several challenges which undermine both the legitimacy of the military mission and its professional image. Along with this is the concern that the conduct of soldiers adds to worsen the security situation of the citizenry, which in turn strains civil-military relations (CMR). Two factors were identified as responsible for the problems: a lack of military professionalism, and the cultural disposition of soldiers in terms of the unsuitability of military habitus with civilian values. Whereas the problems could be addressed with effective civil control of the military, the study argues that civil control is weak in Nigeria, despite the existence of a legal framework that could ensure this. To understand the problem, the study reviewed the separation, integration, agency, and concordance theories, and it argues that they are limited in scope and application. As such, they are unable to fully explain CMR in Nigeria. In this regard, a quadrumvirate interaction theory which upholds aspects of concordance theory explanation of CMR was proposed to fill the void. The theory contends that CMR is a tripartite relationship, with interactions among the partners occurring as a quadrumvirate along a major intersecting level and three different subunits. The theory introduced a typology indicating that the citizenry can exert agency in CMR in four different ways: compliance, contestation, collaboration, and confrontation against demands, policies, actions or inactions of the other partners. The aim of the study was to understand whether the Nigerian State is exercising adequate civil control of the military to ensure that it does not become a threat to the citizenry and exacerbate insecurity. 55 one-on-one interviews with civilians across different social categories were conducted in six local government areas in Plateau State to understand this. The study found that the military acts unprofessionally and soldiers abuse of civilians is a recurring phenomenon, hence civilians are dissatisfied with the military. This has affected CMR, and civilians are exerting their agency including using confrontation that has resulted to the killing of some personnel, because they see the military as exacerbating insecurity.
2019
This study focuses on the use of the Nigerian military as an internal security apparatus under a democratic government. In view of the recent secessionists’ agitation in the South-East region, renewed militancy in the South-South, insurgency in the North-East, kidnapping and ritual killings in the South-West and herder-pastoralist’s conflict in the Middle-Belt region which have caused serious security challenges in the country. In response to these challenges, the Nigerian Military, acting under the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces directives, launched various military operations. These operations include; Operation ‘Python Dance 2’; ‘Crocodile Smile’; Operation ‘L’afiya Dole’ (interpreted as peace by force); Operation ‘Crocodile Smile 2’; Operation Cat Race; and the ‘show of force’. These military operations have not only generated tension and threatened civil-military relations in the different regions; they have also raised questions on the constitutional role...
THE ROLE OF THE MILITARY IN NIGERIA INSECURITY. A CASE STUDY OF BOKO HARAM.
ABSTRACT Though, Nigeria has ever faced series of security threatening challenges, the one caused by the activities of the Islamist sect, the Boko Haram remains quite unique in all ramifications. For instance, the Jos crises that claimed dozens of human lives were known to be limited to Plateau State and so also were the Niger Delta crises limited to the areas of the creeks of the River Niger. The sect claims responsibility for several bombings and snip activities in the northern and central Nigeria, thereby placing the nation at the threshold of disintegration. The central issue of this paper is to probe into the causes of the Boko Haram menace and why government has been unable to put an end to it. The author sees Boko Haram as an outcome of Nigeria‟s internal political, social, economic and to some extent, religious problems. It is therefore concluded with a position that the present happenings in Nigeria have undoubtedly made the call for a national conference very obvious. This will provide the platform for discussing grievances of groups for amicable solutions.
The Okuama Tragedy: An Assessment of Civil-Military Relations in Nigeria (1999-2024
International Journal of Academic Multidisciplinary Research (IJAMR) , 2024
This study examines the intricate dynamics of civil-military relations in Nigeria from 1999 to 2024, marked by democratic governance and persistent tensions between civilian authorities and military institutions. Drawing on the Elite Theory, we investigate the interactions, rivalries, and collaborations between military elites and political leaders within the broader power structures. This framework allows us to analyze elite behavior's motivations, strategies, and consequences on civil-military relations. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, combining secondary data collection and analysis from various sources, including government documents, military records, academic publications, media reports, and prior research studies, our findings reveal a complex interplay of cooperation and conflict between civilian authorities and military institutions. Key issues identified include the military's role in internal security, its influence in political affairs, and the frequent disputes over jurisdiction and authority. The study also highlights periods of reform and attempts at demilitarization, juxtaposed with instances of military intervention and autonomy. Our assessment concludes that despite progress in certain areas, civil-military relations in Nigeria remain fraught with challenges that threaten democratic stability. The interplay of historical legacies, power struggles, and elite interests continues to shape Nigeria's governance and security landscape. While there have been strides towards improving these relations, substantial work remains to achieve a balanced and stable civil-military dynamic. To address these issues, we recommend strengthening democratic institutions to reduce military influence in political affairs and enhancing civilian oversight of the military to ensure accountability and transparency.
Armed Forces & Society, 2021
Since independence on October 1, 1960, Nigeria has been a victim, at one time or the other, of intra-ethnic, inter-ethnic, religious, and communal conflicts which have undermined the human security of her citizens. Nigeria's corporate existence had also been threatened by 3 years (1967-1970) civil war which impacted negatively on the well-being of its people. In addition, the inability of the Nigerian Police to cope with the magnitude of the surge of violence in recent years has brought about the idea of involving the military, a core component of traditional security apparatus to deal with internal insecurity. This article is anchored on human security paradigm with reliance on secondary data to analyze the operations of the Nigerian Military in counterviolence campaigns between 1999 and 2017. This article points out that the involvement of the military in internal security has worsened the problem of insecurity due to the military's unprofessional approach and, at times, deliberate targeting the civilian populace which it is supposed to protect. It, therefore, recommends among others, the need for the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently review the role of the armed forces in addressing internal security situations in a way that will bring about respect for the rule of engagement in internal security operations and adherence to global best practices.
A Study of the Civil-Military Relations in Nigerian Fourth Republic
2019
This paper examines the state of civil-military relations so far under the Nigerian fourth republic. It studies the dimensions which the civil-military relations have taken in order to establish a pattern similar or in variance with the previous republics. The underlying argument here is that since the inception of the fourth republic, the civil-military relations have a pattern in which the civilian administration had been having a grip on the military. The political class has been conscious of the need to maintain their hold on the military. This is mostly carried out through the removal of the military personnel with political affiliation. The intimidation received by the populace from the military was described as a major concern in the civil-military relations in the fourth republic. This paper recognizes the fact that the military dehumanizes the civilians in the road blocks on slight provocation, it suggests the need to re-orientate the military towards humanitarian services ...