A New Security Architecture for Nigeria – An Integrated System of Public Safety Based on the US Model of Policing

Emmanuel Uzo Obi

This proposal provides a framework for the Federal Government to redesign and reorganize the public safety and security architecture in Nigeria. The existing public safety and security architecture in Nigeria, should be redesigned and reorganized based on the United States model of policing and public safety. This is an integrated approach to safety and security that will ensure optimal efficacy and consistency in incident response protocols, procedures, and emergency response time (ERT). In addition, it will promote interagency cooperation and eliminate rivalry.

STRATEGIC OUTLOOK

Our great country is in a crisis caused by the state of insecurity in the past months and years, and we are yet to resolve the situation and the country is still suffering from the trauma. We must find the courage to reimagine better ways of handling public safety and security in Nigeria.

The Federal Government cannot continue to do things the old way, making investments in security and public safety without the bigger picture of what it would take to keep the Nigerian people safe. The sole purpose of this integrated approach is to protect our people from unintentional harm(safety) and intentional harm (security). It lays the foundation to enhance the overall safety and security in Nigeria. It will require collaborative effort between the Federal Government, state governments and agencies in the organized private sector.

We are confident that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can lay the groundwork very quickly within his first year in office, by having the courage to invest in results and not continue with policies which did not work in the past.

VISION AND GOALS

Every resident or citizen of Nigeria – no matter their social class or status, has a right to be safe in their home and throughout our great nation. Therefore, the recommendations in this proposal will:

•        help build a public safety and critical response system that promotes not only the health and well-being of all citizens and residents of Nigeria but also prevent and interrupt violence, prevent crime and will be accountable to the government and people of Nigeria.

•        Reduce the flow of sophisticated weapons illegally in circulation within Nigeria.

SCOPE AND MAGNITUDE OF PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS

The greatest challenge facing the country today is public safety and security. Nigeria faces the entire range of threats to its ever-increasing population. The scope and magnitude of the public safety threats to Nigeria are substantial and include:

•        Domestic Terrorism

•        Kidnappers

•        Oil theft

•        Fire disasters in commercial and residential areas

•        Flood

•        Street Gangs and Cults

•        Financial crimes

•        Armed Robbers

•        Ritual Murderers

•        Human Trafficking

•        Sex crimes

•        Drug Trafficking

•        Fatal Vehicle Crashes

•        Medical Emergencies

•        Violent Criminals

•        Epidemics

•        Arson

•        Herders-Farmers conflicts

All these threats pose daunting challenges that require the collaboration of the leadership at federal and state levels including the national and state assemblies, local governments, the criminal justice system, and the Federal Ministry of Interior (Homeland Security).

KEY PILLARS OF CREATING A SAFE AND SECURE NIGERIA

•        Whole systems approach

•        Economic security

•        Transform the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice at state level.

•        Decentralized law enforcement and policing

•        Empower and regulate private security and protective companies.

•        Road safety enforcement

•        Rename and restructure Ministry of Interior (Ministry of Homeland Security)

•        Create the Ministry of Public Safety and Homeland Security at state level.

•        Public Safety and Emergency Response Infrastructure.

Whole systems approach

This involves the collaboration and cooperation of interrelated and interdependent agencies at federal, state, and local levels, towards a unified goal. The overall goal of a systems approach is to foster and promote an environment of collaboration and information-sharing among the different agencies that make up the security architecture. Additionally, an integrated approach to safety and security will ensure optimal efficacy and consistency in incident response protocols, procedures, and emergency response time (ERT). The resulting partnerships across the agencies will support and enhance public safety and security in Nigeria. Interagency cooperation is imperative within an orderly environment of policies, procedures, training, and support infrastructure. In addition, safety and security and economic security are interrelated.

Economic Security

Each of the federating units/states must make an investment to ensure that every person in the state has the opportunity for economic security as the basis or foundation for safety and security. This includes:

•        Building affordable housing

•        Building homeless shelters

•        Creating efficient and affordable public transportation.

•        Quality medical and behavioral health services

•        Living wage employment opportunities and job training.

•        Access to capital

•        Invest in pathways to home ownership and small business ownership.

Transform the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice at state level.

•The Department of Public Prosecutions at Federal and State levels should be fully responsible for prosecutions for violations of federal and state laws, respectively.

•Hire more lawyers to beef up effectiveness and efficiency of the Department of Public Prosecutions at federal and state levels.

•Create a Criminal Justice Information System at federal and state levels.

Decentralized law enforcement and policing

The decentralization of policing and law enforcement by moving them to the concurrent list of the Nigerian constitution is important. A national police force is not compatible with state law enforcement agencies if the federal government decides to go this route. Consequently, a gradual phasing out of the Nigeria Police (NPF) is inevitable and the following new agencies need to be created at federal level:

•        Directorate of Federal Investigations & Intelligence (DFII) – This agency should use the same model as the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

•        Directorate of Firearms and Explosives Control- This agency should use the same model as the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The federating units should be able to set up state law enforcement agencies as needed. Part of this process must necessarily include a constitutional amendment to remove immunity for state governors and make the office of state attorney general and elective office. Details are outlined in a different presentation and include recommendations for the states, regulation, staffing, training standards and curriculum, equipment, and support infrastructure.

Empower and regulate private security and protective companies.

Private security personnel need to know the law. They need to know what they are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to do. Private security companies must be allowed to bear firearms with mandatory training and certification and recertification.

Vigilantes should no longer be allowed but people interested in security jobs must acquire the skills through training and certification. The state must therefore:

•        Set curriculum standards and licensing requirements for security training and licensing of security and protective companies in the state.

•        License companies to provide protective services and carry firearms.

•        Stipulate firearms training and licensing requirements

•        Home security companies should deploy smart technologies to monitor and report threats to law enforcement agencies.

Road Safety Enforcement

We recommend that highway safety, driver licensing and motor vehicle registration should be returned to the states. States should be responsible for:

•        Education of road users through public enlightenment campaigns

•        Enforcement of all highway and traffic rules on all roads within the state

•        Speedy processing of traffic offenses through the court system

•        Removal of abandoned vehicles from all highways within the state.

•        Use of sirens should be restricted to emergency vehicles responding to emergencies and the state and deputy governor.

Rename and Restructure Ministry of Interior (Ministry of Homeland Security)

The Federal Ministry of Interior should be renamed the Ministry of Homeland Security and restructured for greater effectiveness.

Create the Ministry of Public Safety and Homeland Security at state level.

Each state should create the Ministry of Public Safety to coordinate the smooth operation of law enforcement agencies under the authority of the state. The recommended structure has been discussed in another presentation.

Critical Infrastructure in Public Safety and Law Enforcement

•                        Emergency Communication Centers in each LGA and major cities

•        Fire Service Stations in LGAs and major cities

•        Emergency Medical Ambulances

•        State Residency Identification Cards

•        Automated Fingerprint Identification System (A.F.I.S).

•        Gang/Cult Intelligence Index

•        State Sex Offender Registry

•        Criminal Record Registry

•        Mugshot Registry

CONCLUSION

This new security architecture for Nigeria presents an integrated approach to public safety and security that will promote interagency collaboration and private sector participation in a technology driven environment. It is a huge change that requires a strong will to implement.

•Emmanuel Uzo Obi is a professor of cybersecurity and a public affairs analyst and writes from North Carolina.  euzoobi@gmail.com