Democracy Consolidation and Governance of the Security Sector in Nigeria: Trends and Challenges

Olusola Olawale Olasunkanmi

doi:10.32890/jis.12.2016.7977

Abstract

In no other sector is the challenge of governance much more tasking in contemporary Nigeria than security. Conceived broadly to imply both physical and human security, security has remained at the core of Nigeria’s governance challenges since its return to democracy in 1999. Weak institutions, growing inequality, poverty, injustice and corruption have together undermined the capacity of democracy as a preferred system of rule, to salvage the nation’s security from prolonged years of military rule and inept leadership. With Nigeria’s almost two decades of democratic experience, and the recent ushering to power of another party, the first of this development since 1999, there is indeed, an urgent need for the overhaul of the sector if the expected gains of democracy are to be met. It is the contention of this paper that democracy and security are mutually reinforcing and a disconnect can have deleterious implications for Nigeria. This paper also stresses the need to revamp the country’s security institutions especially in the light of the internal challenges of Boko Haram and in particular, militia groups whose propensity to relapse into military confrontation under the guise of the underlying historical problems associated with the Nigerian state are well documented.

Highlights

The Nigerian state, a British creation, wedging together diverse, multiple ethnic groups and identities, has historically evinced varying features of complexity since its birth in 1914
A major challenge confronting the Nigerian state in addressing the security sector problem is the lack of vision
A sustainable, functional democratic system remains pivotal to ensuring effective security management in Nigeria

Summary

Introduction

The Nigerian state, a British creation, wedging together diverse, multiple ethnic groups and identities, has historically evinced varying features of complexity since its birth in 1914. With the decades of oppression under successive military regimes terminated in 1999 and Nigeria’s celebrated return to civil rule, expectations were high regarding the limitless opportunities that the emerging democratic climate in the country offers This coincided with the changing perception of security globally from the restricted view which solely identifies it with the military into a more holistic view which today, embraces the essential task of meeting basic human wants. Since Nigeria’s return to civil rule in 1999, efforts have been made by successive administrations via constitutional processes to re-define the roles, responsibilities and powers of old and new governance institutions to reflect democratic principles and ethos. It is argued here that this was so because of the insurgents’ awareness of the inherent weaknesses of the institution

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10 Burkina Faso

Findings

Conclusion