Mr. Oludare Ogunlana, a counterterrorism expert and
president of the Global Alternative Agenda wrote this article and first
published on Sahararareporters.com on December 28, 2011. The article recommended the sack of former Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim for gross incompetence and further suggested that the National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi
be replaced for political reason to change the game of the war on terror. The former IGP was sacked and replaced by the new Acting IGP Mohammed Dikko. Today, the NSA has been changed as recommended. We
are republishing this article in view of its relevance to the present
circumstances in Nigeria. The Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan appointed a
new National Security Adviser in the person of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.). The
major task ahead the newly appointed Security Czar is to tame the terrorist activities
in Nigeria. In the article below are recommended strategies for getting it right
in the ongoing war on terror.
Nigeria is passing
through a phase in the history because the “homegrown” terrorist risk is on the
rise, but the Aso Rock
has been slower to respond to the threats. Also, the leaderships of the
appropriate agencies responsible for public safety are still struggling to
provide answers in the last two years. Effective political and public safety leadership
is the first compulsory requirement for a successful counterterrorism
operations strategy to attack and defeat terrorism.
Azazi and Dasuki. Source: nigeriandaily.com |
Nigerians
are cognizance of the fact that President Goodluck
Jonathan inherited these problems from the past administrations, including inept
law enforcement agencies and the highly politicized Nigerian military.
Nevertheless,
it is natural for people to look up for a way out in a time of crisis. Every
crisis always produces leadership that may come in the form of individual or
organization to give hope to people in the midst of their trouble and inspire
them to triumph over their problems. President George
W. Bush did not create the problem that led to the tragedy of 9/11 but he
provided needed leadership. He never blamed Muslims because the suicide bombers
were Muslims by name but accused al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden and declared war
against them. Winston Churchill did not
create the problem of the WWII but one of his major contributions that eventually
led his country to victory was the ability to inspire the British people to
greater effort by making public broadcasts on significant occasions. A
brilliant orator, he was a tireless source of strength to people experiencing
the sufferings of the Blitz.
President Jonathan must personally engage Nigerians
through constant media broadcast to educate citizens that the ongoing war is
neither a religious nor struggle between the South and the North.
Hence, below are “to do” lists for President Jonathan’s
consideration in 2012:
First, presidency must set up a terrorism advisory
system that effectively communicates information about terrorist
threats by providing timely, detailed information to the public, and government
agencies. The government would have minimized the casualties of Christmas day
bombing if there are NTAS in place to warn people about the threat level.
Second,
the president should rejuvenate the security agencies by retaining the
performing leaders and remove the incompetent officers and replace them with
dynamic, competent and effective leaders.
The president should
remove the National Security Adviser and replace him with a capable person from
the North.
General
Andrew Owoeye Azazi, is no doubt a competent and one of the
best security experts in Nigeria today. However, three things are presently
working against him:
1.
Nigerians have lost faith in his
leadership as a security coordinator; people will no longer appreciate his
effort no matter how he tries.
2.
He is a Christian from the South. The
terrorists are already using it as propaganda that the Christian South is
waging war against the Muslim North. When
the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003; the choice of Gen. John Abizaid, a senior military officer of direct Arab
descent, born in the United States of a Lebanese family was a strategy by the
U.S. government to appease the Muslims world that the war on terror is not war
against Muslims.
3.
Gen. Azazi’s military approach to
repress terrorists without options for diplomacy is a minus for the war. While
terrorism will be our enemies’ tactics of choice, it does not automatically
follow that we need to rely primarily on traditional offense-based military
forces to fight back. Government should adopt open-ended policies beginning
with visionary leadership for our public safety, military, intelligence, law
enforcement, and emergency services agencies.
In addition, the Nigerian police
will perform better if government inspire, train, equip and motivate them to
work under a command of an experienced, well-educated and dynamic inspector
general of police. President Jonathan must look for a new IGP as soon as
possible. This may not be a popular advice but we may see the gain of effective
leadership if the president recalls Nuhu
Ribadu and give him the position of the IGP. Ribadu is qualified to assume
the position as a retired Assistant Inspector General of police. Plus his
youthfulness, experience, bravery, and doggedness are assets for the office of
IGP.
Nigeria is presently operating in the blind because Nigerian intelligence
agencies are not firing from all cylinders. It may require another 10-year
to develop the type of human intelligence capabilities needed to support the
ongoing counterterrorism operations if there are no major changes or reforms.
In conclusion, we cannot attack and defeat
terrorism by using same old styles of leadership that brought us to where we
are today. Leaders are accountable to the public. The public expects and
deserves top-notch, ethical service conducted in an objective manner. When
service is not delivered or is of poor quality, it is ultimately the leader's
responsibility. The public may or may not put pressure on the leader to correct
the situation. However, if the public perceives that no correction is taking
place, pressure will be applied for that leader to either make suitable changes
or to resign. Where this becomes difficult for the leader is when there is a
difference between what the leader's legitimate course of action is and what
the public desires.
Oludare
Ogunlana is
a security analyst and member of the International Association for
Counterterrorism & Security Professionals. (IASCP)
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