Internal Security Challenges Research Articles

Coups, Regional Security Complexes and the Impact of Nigeria’s Peacekeeping in West Africa, 1960–2022

Over the years, Africa has continued to experience conflicts caused by civil wars and the tussle for power through military coups. Despite having the Mediation & Security Council within ECOWAS, it has been unable to create sustainable peace within the region. The many porous borders between the countries further exacerbate the complexities of its regional security. The consequences of these problems usually affect neighbouring countries, thereby resulting in regional security complexes and the consequent challenges of peacekeeping operations. This paper uses historical, descriptive and comparative analysis by focusing on coups as precursors to security challenges in the region of West Africa and the resulting peacekeeping operations by countries such as Nigeria. Based on the premise of ECOWAS, it introduces some conflicts caused by coups; the challenges of Regional Security Complex in West Africa and the examination of Nigerian Peacekeeping efforts. Furthermore, it offers some recommendations towards sustainable regional peace. Results show that there is a need for the African Union (AU) to do more to secure the continent. Reliance on non-African countries to support its internal security problems has become counterproductive. It recommends that Nigeria should temporarily suspend its peacekeeping operations and channel its resources towards addressing its internal security challenges; that the AU must establish a standing army as a quick response force to address the various continental crises before they become exponential threats and that ECOWAS should implement its common currency plan. Finally, the African Union must develop best practices that can alleviate poverty and guarantee security in line with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“When We Believe in State Power, It Tends to Fail Us”: Insights Into the Management of Herder-Peasant Farmer Conflicts in Benue State, Nigeria

This paper examines management of herder-peasant farmer conflicts and internal security challenges in Benue state, Nigeria. It relied mainly on descriptive and cross-sectional survey designs. Four hundred and seven participants were collated and analyzed from 430 questionnaires distributed in 10 Local Government Areas with an age range of 20–79 years and mean age of 42.84 years. A structured questionnaire was adopted for measuring farmer-herder conflicts and analyzing the strategies deployed in tackling the conflict. The findings showed that certain laws and policies of the government significantly contributed to the onset and protraction of the herder-farmer conflict in Benue state, F (5, 406) = 186.51; p < 0.05. Further findings show that the inherent contradictions in the different policies and laws enacted by the government created obstructions to land access and utilization by the warring parties (herders and farmers). Pursuant to this, the paper linked the obduracy of the conflict to government’s poor handling of land and land-based resources. To address the conflict, the article recommends that land management policies should be unbundled to limit the influence of federal and state governments in land distribution and control.

Analysis of prospective legislation in the field of organization of service training of employees of the security sector to ensure tactical literacy

The scientific article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of prospective legislation in the field of organization of service training of employees of the security sector in order to ensure their tactical literacy. The growing threat of internal and external security challenges calls into question the effectiveness and relevance of existing legislation in this area. The author analyzes the existing legal norms and provisions that regulate the training of security sector forces in the context of tactical literacy, in particular, the structure of training, requirements for instructors and training programs.
 The article also examines the challenges facing current legislation, such as changes in the technological environment, global terrorist threats and the complexity of the tasks facing security sector forces. The authors try to identify shortcomings and gaps in the legislative framework, which can become an obstacle to achieving a high level of tactical literacy of employees.
 In this context, the author emphasizes the need to review and modernize the legislative acts that regulate the activities of the security forces. They emphasize the importance of adapting legal norms to the rapidly changing technological environment, which creates new opportunities and threats. In addition, the article discusses the need to improve the mechanisms of cooperation and exchange of information between various bodies and countries to combat global terrorist threats.
 The author also analyzes the complex tasks facing the forces of the security sector and which can be solved by implementing modern training methods and improving the professional training of employees. They put forward proposals for the development of educational programs that would include relevant knowledge and skills necessary for successfully solving tasks in the field of security.
 A comparative analysis with the legislation of other countries is carried out and best practices are studied regarding the organization of official training of security sector forces. The author considers possible ways to improve the legislation in this area in order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the tactical literacy of employees.

Globalization's Impact on Biowarfare: Analyzing Emerging Threats and Addressing International Security Challenges

Globalization's Impact on Biowarfare: Analyzing Emerging Threats and Addressing International Security Challenges

Emerging issues around transhumance migration from the Sahel region and Nigeria’s national security

Nigeria has recorded in the annals of its historical development monumental internal security challenges occasioned by the activities of non- state actors such as Boko Haram, and in recent past, bandits associated with transhumance and irregular migration into the country. The main discourse is on transhumance migration which revolves around the debates in the public domain that link almost entirely the Nigeria‟s security situation to the activities of herdsmen that migrate through the corridors of the Sahel region. The paper relied on qualitative data collected from secondary sources. Findings in the paper revealed that despite the high-level of violence being perpetrated by non-state actors in Nigeria, pastoralists-perpetrated violence accounts for only 16 %. Pastoralist violence is only one part of the different overlapping conflicts in the country. The paper recommended for review the domestication and full operationalization of the ECOWAS protocol on the regulation of transhumance 1998 by member states.

Summaries

Summaries

Small Satellites, Big Data: Uncovering the Invisible in Maritime Security

Abstract Data from small satellites are rapidly converging with high-speed, high-volume computational analytics. “Small satellites, big data” (SSBD) changes the ability of decision-makers to persistently see and address an array of international security challenges. An analysis of these technologies shows how they can support decisions to protect or advance national and commercial interests by detecting, attributing, and classifying harmful, hostile, or unlawful maritime activities. How might the military, law enforcement, and intelligence communities respond to maritime threats if these new technologies eliminate anonymity at sea? The emerging evidence presented on maritime activities is intertwined with national security (e.g., territorial and resource claims, sanctions violations, and terrorist attacks), legal and illicit businesses (e.g., illegal fishing, trafficking, and piracy), and other concerns (e.g., shipping and transit, chokepoints, and environmental damage). The ability of SSBD technologies to observe and catch wrongdoing is important for governments as well as the commercial, academic, and nongovernmental sectors that have vested interests in maritime security, sustainable oceans, and the rule of law at sea. But findings indicate that transparency alone is unlikely to deter misconduct or change the behavior of powerful states.

Partition to Partnership to Brexit

Dublin Castle stands as a signifier of both conflict and conciliation between Ireland and Britain over recent centuries. On 16 January 2022, all of Ireland’s mainstream political parties gathered there on the centenary of the castle’s handover by the last lord lieutenant of Ireland, Viscount FitzAlan of Derwent, to the provisional government of Ireland led by Michael Collins, which took place after the Dáil endorsed the 1921 Treaty. Jarlath Kearney, Peter Shirlow and Etain Tannam show that a century after that treaty and the partition of the island, the facts and themes flowing from that period – particularly ongoing identity and culture contests over Northern Ireland’s constitutional status – remain live. It is essential in managing future challenges that British-Irish intergovernmental cooperation thrives and that the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is implemented robustly. This is not simply because of Northern Ireland, but because of the host of geopolitical and international security challenges ahead.◼

INDIAN POLITICAL DOCTRINES: UNDERSTANDING INTERNAL SECURITY DYNAMICS OF INDIA IMPACTING PAKISTAN

Strategic culture involves diplomatic ties, geopolitical orientation and political ideology involving the military. India’s strategic culture orientates pro-nationalist policies, emphasizing the business progression of a specific class, discriminating in exercising minority rights, and imbalancing diplomatic ties with neighbouring states for regional hegemony. Indian leadership, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi, has kept regional dominance as a primary Indian strategic objective. More importantly, the Indian strategic community has carefully maintained narrative linking insurgencies with its neighbours, especially Pakistan. A cross-sectional analysis of Indian political doctrines explains how internal security challenges of India are shaping its strategic culture and stance towards Pakistan. It includes contextualizing the concept of strategic culture and modelling Indian strategic culture to the scope of research. The impact of Indian strategic culture on Pakistan is multi-dimensional, ranging from combat capabilities to international presence at international forums like the UN and FATF. The research proposes policy options and action points for Pakistan. The paper establishes three fundamental aspects. First, the Indian strategic thoughts are rooted in Kautilyian discourse. Second, linking Pakistan with insurgencies in India. Third, with the rise of Hindutva through the BJP with a conducive geostrategic environment, India has resorted to an offensive-defensive strategy towards Pakistan. With these interpretations, the research paves the way for identifying policy options for Pakistan while considering Pakistan’s national interests. Bibliography Entry Malik, Tassawar Aziz, and Sehrish Qayyum. 2022. "Indian Political Doctrines: Understanding Internal Security Dynamics of India Impacting Pakistan." Margalla Papers 26 (1): 18-33.

Internal Insecurity and National Development in Nigeria: Problematizing Herdsmen and Farmers’ Conflicts in Anambra State

Internal security challenges in Nigeria, particularly herdsmen and farmers’ conflicts, have worsened over time. In Anambra state, clashes by the two groups have equally persisted. The key concern of this study was on the effect of this challenge on national development in Nigeria. In essence, the objective of this study was to examine how herdsmen and farmers’ conflicts in Anambra state have affected national development in Nigeria. To achieve the objective of this study, the following hypothesis was posed: Herdsmen and farmers’ conflicts in Anambra state have not supported national development in Nigeria. Anchored on the Eco-Violence Theory and the Deprivation, Frustration and Aggression Theory as the frameworks for analysis, the study adopted descriptive survey design and Questionnaire as instrument for data collection. Analysis of data was quantitatively carried out. Among other things, the study found out that herdsmen and farmers’ conflicts in Anambra state have some negative consequences which include loss of lives, farmlands, cattle and property; worsened level of poverty and threat to jobs. It also found out that Nigeria cannot achieve national development in the face of the recurring herdsmen and farmers’ conflicts in Anambra state as the impacts affect the rest of the country. In view of the findings, the study recommended the need for the state government to devise strategies for effective implementation of its Cattle and Other Livestock Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2021. It equally recommended Federal Government’s proactive intervention in ending the herdsmen and farmers’ conflicts in the state.

The prospects of strategic imagination in explaining international security challenges.

This paper will study the potential applicability of the strategic imagination method to international security analysis, which has been previously used to improve prognostic quality in business studies. The method should allow security experts to think about the future by considering “what if” situations, and creatively assess the probability of different threats, even those that appear as improbable to others. The components of the method include strategic fit (the actor’s competence between its abilities and the needs of market), structure (the degree of concentration and maturity), competitive advantages (the extent to which the resources denied to the competition can be gathered, for example, access to novel technology), and strategic focus (i.e., on cost advantages, a differentiated product or exploitation of a market niche), in which a strategic advantage can be obtained by changing rules or deliberately creating turbulence. Strategic imagination can promote an academic discussion on changing nature of global processes like the emergence of global security market and provide nonorthodox methods for advancing a qualitative security analysis. Educated forecasting by connecting today’s developments with strategic imagination offers an important component in building successful security strategies and supportive public policies, especially in what concerns psychological warfare. For example, in the current COVID-19 crisis, main efforts have been made to defend against its national consequences (e.g., various restrictions introduced by individual countries), and less attention has been paid to cooperative strategies that can significantly reduce the global spread of the virus.

Editorials of Conspiracy Hate and Insecurity: The Algerian Military Magazine ‘El-Djeich’ as a Case

This research critically analyzes 10 editorials written in French that the Algerian army magazine (El-Djeich) published from January 2021 to October 2021, a peak time for the army to reinforce its threatening discourse against Morocco (the classical enemy of Algeria). It attempts to explore how the editorials employ a conspiracy narrative to represent Morocco as a country that has been waging wars and threatening its stability. The editorials aim to construct an ‘outer enemy’ to shift the public opinion from political, social, and economic problems that the appointed political leadership fails to solve. More than that, the editorials try to reestablish the image of the army underestimated by the social protestation Hirak which claims a ‘civil and not a military state’. Since the 16th of February 2019, the Hirak has been claiming that the army should return to its barracks and take care of the security of the country's borders instead of interfering in social, political, and economic affairs. The theoretical framework of this study was based on van Dijk’s model (van Dijk, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1998a, 1998b, 2000, 2004, 2006) to treat the texts as a voice of the Algerian army that violently attacks Morocco, amidst high tensions between the two countries, accusing the kingdom of instrumentalizing ‘conspiracies’ and waging ‘cyber-attacks' against Algeria. Relying on critical discourse analysis (CDA), the many linguistic constructions identified in the editorials reflect that the stand of the army and the political leadership towards Morocco are unfounded and fallacious. For instance, the findings of this research identified a pattern of argumentation based on erroneous allegations that the magazine of the army attributed to Morocco. Devoid of any proofs, the editorials have portrayed Morocco as a ‘threat to the country’. As a matter of fact, the study assumes that the magazine of the army uses editorials to rally the population against an external enemy and to divert the attention of the Algerian population from real internal problems. Indeed, the challenge for the Algerian military leadership is to convince the Hirak partisans, who strongly denounce the interference of the army in Algerians life, that the national army is the only institution that can stop an external enemy (Morocco) which threatens their well-being than do internal economic, political and security challenges.

INFORMATION SECURITY ISSUES AND PROTECTION METHODS

This research is dedicated to the study of the problems the information systems of most states is currently facing and the methods of information system protection. Due to the fast development of new information technologies, the potential of information systems increases, e-commerce develops, and at the same time forms a platform for cybercrime, acts of cyber terrorism and other actions that become a threat to the national security of the state. In these circumstances, the activity of information systems must be coordinated and regulated by normative and legislative acts on the rights and security measures of persons and information. Violation of the information system security of the public authorities and other institutions may compromise the confidentiality and integrity of this information, and consequently cause financial or material damage, including damage to the security of the State. The security of computer networks is an essential factor for the proper functioning of the information society. Information systems are threatened both internally and externally. EU and its Member States are facing today internal and external security challenges which represent a complex, dynamic and open system. They are complex, constantly expanding and interdependent. Information security is used primarily to provide assurance that intellectual property rights are adequately protected.

Internal Security Challenges in China

Our series of studies would like to draw attention to the fact that China, which has so far had considerable foreign policy experience, is also forging serious capital from dealing with its own internal conflicts. A diverse, high-spread country is testing the effectiveness of ‘soft power’ in its provinces. Without foreign policy adventures, these locations provided the Chinese Communist Party with adequate experience in resolving certain types of conflicts. Uyghur, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Hong Kong, Macao embody archetypes of problems that pose a direct threat to the Chinese state. In addition to regional conflicts, we can also consider the problems of the Christian community of about one hundred million. Uyghur is an excellent example of how to achieve results along the fault lines of cultures and religions. The first part of the series of studies shows how Uyghurs with significant separatist traditions have been persuaded to make ‘modern life’ the same as accepting the Chinese order. Through the Uyghurs, China is learning how to refine its methods concerning Muslim countries in Central Asia.

Eurasian integration and the internal socio-political conflict potential of the Central Asian region

The article examines the internal security challenges in the Central Asian region (CAR), the causes of conflicts within the countries of the region. The article describes the general and special features of the socio-political situation in the CAR countries. This study was conducted within the framework of the theory of conflict. The paper uses the author's typology of costs and risks on the path of interstate integration: growth risks (economic, social, security) and immanent risks, as well as characteristics of the nature of regional conflicts. The author analyzes Russia's interests in the CAR, the conflict potential of the region, and the prospects for the development of Eurasian integration in the region. The main conflict-causing internal political factors are: poverty of the population, the growth of social differentiation, high unemployment, an overabundance of the able-bodied population, socio-economic instability; the archaization of public life; interethnic contradictions; the presence of a religious fundamentalist and extremist underground, waiting for the moment to seize power; the spread of drug addiction and the activities of organized criminal communities engaged in transit drug trafficking; the threat of political destabilization of the region both in the process of transferring power to a new generation of leaders and the change of leadership elites. Eurasian integration can strengthen the Russian vector in the policies of the countries involved in Eurasian integration, but it will not eliminate the influence of other vectors, it will only balance them. Participation in the Eurasian integration can help the CAR countries strengthen their independence and sovereignty. Since foreign "multi-vector" policy, often understood as a distance from Russia, leads to an increase in dependence on other centers of power, which ultimately contradicts the national interests of the CAR nations themselves.

Implications of the New Taliban Government for the Biden Administration

ABSTRACT The August 2021Taliban takeover of Kabul, and the prospect of Jihadi influxes from Afghanistan subject to Taliban government manipulation, elicit several international security challenges to the United States, and several international and domestic security challenges to several nation-states in close proximity to Afghanistan. Those countries include, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Pakistan, India, China, and Iran. The threat from potential Jihadi influxes is examined, along with new opportunities for the Biden administration to improve relations with Iran’s Ayatollah Khamene’i and President Raisi by means of what political scientists call “assurance games.” It follows the use of an “ assurance games” framework to help protect Iranian interests in Afghanistan such as the Hazaras for example, has the potential to influence the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) talks because issue areas in international politics are related. To further this goal, public U.S. administration support for the efforts by the Taliban government to protect Hazara communities in Afghanistan against ISIS-K terrorism is critical for a substantive reengagement of American influence in Afghanistan. At the domestic politics level, this is also a prudent position for President Biden to take after his ill-conceived and costly withdrawal from Afghanistan

Internal and External Security Challenges of Nepal

Nepal has been a home to diversified settlement in terms of ethnicity, religion, dialect and culture since its outset in civilization. It also lies between two great military and economic giants of Asia – India and China – that are hostile to each other. While these bring abundant opportunities for Nepal, it possesses several internal and external security threats. Nepal suffers from cyber-attack, environmental degradation, pandemic, ethnic, racial or religious conflicts, inequality and poverty, extremism, human trafficking, corruption, migration and trans-boundary crime. In addition, Nepal also faces several security threats, traditional and non–traditional, including terrorism and insurgency. These threats possess serious implications on peace and security of Nepal and the South Asian region. There is a need of serious study about the major internal and external security challenges that Nepal faces in recent decades. This study aims at examining some of the major security challenges, explore the factors behind it, and attempt to suggest few policy recommendations to the government of Nepal to deal with them. The study is conducted by reviewing the primary and secondary sources of data. The primary data includes documents of the government agencies, press release, joint statement and organizational reports. It also includes the interviews with security experts, bureaucrats, policy makers and academicians. Similarly, secondary data includes books, news reports, academic journals, seminars report and reports of research institutes and think tanks. The study highlights that Nepal should prepare itself to meet with the emerging internal and external security challenges what have emerged in recent times. With the rise of India and China, two adversarial powers in the region, Nepal possess extreme challenges in days to come. Similarly, hardly any countries of the world had prepared itself to deal with recent pandemic like COVID-19 that has shattered even the most powerful countries of the world. Taking lessons from these, it is time for Nepal to learn and prepare to mitigate the challenges.

Heuristic Perspective Of Criminal Justice System: Questioning On Justice Delivery Procedure In India And Internal Security Threat

Heuristic is the problem solving method generally considers a way of shortcut solution of a particular problem in given time frame or deadline based on quick decision particularly in complex situation. Except boundary problems of our country, the remaining security problems always exist within the country. India may be facing internal security challenges in future on personal perspective existing group of fundamentalist. For example, various police encounters with heuristic perspective seems under passing the judicial process of delivering justice which may lead to the idea of injustice in individual in the victims perspective. So, intervening heuristic perspective in criminal justice system is in of pre trail situation can create a problem for stability of the democratic structure in which criminal justice system is the part of belief and trust for its citizen.

The roaming threats: The security dimension of Almajiris’ mobility in Nigeria and its implications for Africa’s regional security

The culture of children begging for alms in Northern Nigeria is long-established and is propelled by poverty, ‘parentlessness’, the absence of parental care and, most importantly, the Islamic doctrines of ‘giving’ to children who are made to seek for qur’anic education outside their parents’ homes. The prevalence of these ‘almajirai’ in Northern Nigeria has begun to create new security dimensions as a result of their mobility given the context of their recruitment into terrorist sects such as Boko Haram and ISWAP. Almajirai have also indulged in drug addiction, street pickpocketing, and other urban crimes. Their mobility has constituted threats for transmission of dangerous communicable diseases such as Corona Virus-19 or what is known as COVID-19. This paper examines the non-military security dimensions associated with the mobility of wandering children beggars or what are often regarded as the Almajiris in Nigeria’s northern states. It examines the level of security threat that the Almajirai pose to the Nigerian state and what implications their mobility has for Nigeria’s internal security, especially in the age of international migration and globalisation. Further, the article analyses the dynamic ways in which the mobility of the Almajiris has threatened the security of the neighbouring states of Chad and Niger as well as West Africa’s regional security in general given its proximity and socio-cultural linkages. The paper employed secondary sources of data collection. It concludes that the mobility of Almajirai poses serious internal security challenges for Nigeria as it serves as a fertile ground for terrorist breeding and radicalization. Disease contraction and transmission, urban crimes such as car-hijacking tactics, pickpocketing, and criminal surveillance of potential innocent targets have become associated with their mobility; hence, regional security is endangered as a result of their increasing crossing of the loosely guarded Nigerian border to the Lake Chad area and West Africa.

Nepal: Internal and External Security Challenges

The post cold war period is marked by a new multi-dimensional strategic environment giving new focus to international relations and security of small states. Though the US is the only superpower, the world surely is moving towards multi-polarity and interdependence where regional powers and international systems have an increasingly powerful role. In such an environment small states are finding themselves even more vulnerable. The world dynamics is changing very quickly and with it security dimensions are also changing which brings security as well as insecurity to the smaller states like Nepal. The Nepali security dynamics cannot remain separate from the world changes and there are internal as well as external changes which are taking place in the country. More importantly with the recent dramatic changes and adaptation of a new constitution an optimistic political tendencies have emerged but with it the emerging internal crisis have emerged. This paper analyzes the new emerging security challenges Nepal is facing in the evolving new world order and at the same time suggests some authenticate credible and viable security options for it. It analyzes the special characteristics of Nepal and its vulnerability to both traditional and new forms of threats. The paper is divided into five sub-headings which include introduction, theoretical understanding, major security challenges, security options for Nepal and conclusion.