As kidnappers and bandits exploit remote territories, strengthening community intelligence networks and grassroots vigilance may become the most effective complement to President Tinubu’s national security reforms
Nigeria’s security dilemma is the one that is analyzed in terms of militaristic intervention, high-end weaponry, and national security operations. But some of the more endemic dangers in the nation lie in long-out-of-the-way places. The kidnappers hide in forests, bandits prosper in areas where there are no functioning police force and networks of criminals’ flourish in places where the state is lacking. Winning the battle for security is not only a matter of force but of information as well.
But, in that regard, rural intelligence seems to be Nigeria’s most underutilised asset with regard to security.
Sectors of insecurity have changed. Many areas are victims of criminal pressure in difficult areas where they know the territory and surveillance is lacking. This is a reality that demands a proactive plan beyond reactive ‘firefighting.’ It needs the involvement of communities to protect their environment.
Any intelligence collected prior to an attack is more useful than people known to their communities who have been arrested afterwards, only to disappear.
Also Read: GRASSROOTS SECURITY FAILURE FUELING NIGERIA’S INSECURITY CRISIS
Security expert David Bayley makes the point that policing is best when it is done in partnership and confidence within the local community.
His observation continues to be very apposite to present-day Nigeria. There’s a richness of knowledge among people in rural areas that can’t be easily replicated by the central command.
Farmers know about the seasonal migration on farms. Folks who hunt are familiar with paths in the forest that have not been plotted on standard maps. Often traditional rulers have good knowledge of local dynamics. Youth groups can help determine unusual activities a lot sooner than others can. A set of such sources of intelligence, a security ecosystem, is still not represented institutionally in the security sphere.
This is not a lack of information; it’s a lack of a channel that information can go down through to the decision makers. If a citizen (and in a village, that would be a villager) flags activity that he/she suspects to be suspicious, he/she should have the faith that something will happen in time.
Community-to-security-agency coordination needs to be bolstered to build that confidence.
Information is real use value only when received, analyzed, and used.
The current security situation was bequeathed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from years of multifaceted threats in various regions. He and his administration place great importance on developing intelligence capabilities, increasing the level of cooperation between security services, and making security operations more effective than ever before—all of which reaffirms the fact that security, these days, relies as heavily on information superiority as on having boots on the ground.
Challenges still exist, though it is being realised that security is not to be maintained with violence and force. Operations based on intelligence give a more stable bedrock for long-term stability.
Leaders who make an impact make people be part of the solution, says author John C. Maxwell. This is especially true with respect to national security. If communities feel they are not part of the security planning, they are likely to become passive. Powered communities are engaged partners.
Collective security watch schemes, community intelligence systems, and local, structured reporting systems have the potential to empower citizens as actors in security prevention, with very few becoming a typical target of security.
This has repercussions beyond safety. Widespread insecurity has hindered agriculture production and reduced investment and investment-driven livelihoods. Abandoned farms lead to shortages of food in the country due to fear of farmers. Traders refrain from passing through dangerous areas and cut down economic activities. Offers are lost by young people in unsteady regions. Security thus not only acts as a protection barrier but also as an economic enabler.
Events in the command centers and government offices will not be the sole element to determine Nigeria’s trajectory to enduring peace. It will be determined by events taking place in villages, farming settlements, and isolated areas where threats may materialize before making their way to the national headlines.
Security through rural intelligence can provide the promise of earlier intervention, more effective prevention, and increased public trust.
Dr. Samuel Ugonna Benson is a Strategic Management and Leadership scholar and researcher trained at the New York Centre for Advanced Research (NYCAR). He is an author and writer with a focus on organizational strategy, operational systems, and policy development for effective institutional performance. His work centers on strengthening leadership capacity and improving governance structures across public and private institutions.
