The security challenges facing Nigeria, in last six decades of its existence have been attributed to injustice.
Professor Yakubu Aboki Ochefu , Secretary- General, Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, in a recent lecture titled ‘Historicizing and Prognosticating Education and Internal Security Challenges in Nigeria, lamented that the challenges associated with the security problem now roll over from one decade to another across all the geopolitical zones.
The One-time Vice Chancellor of Kwararafa University, Wukari ,Taraba State, explained that the nation has witnessed over thirty significant security challenges of different magnitude and coloration from independence in 1960 to date.
Prominent among the crises highlighted by Professor Ochefu are the Tiv Riots of 1964 , the Western Nigeria Political Imbroglio popularly known as Operation wetie of 1967, the Pogroms and Nigeria Civil War of 1969, the Ugep Massacre of 1975, the Bakalori Peasants crisis , 1980 the dreaded Maitatsine Riots of 1980 and 1985.
Others, according to him, are Kanfachan crisis 1987, the SAP Riots, 1989, Zango –Kataf crisis , 1992, Ijaw-Itsekiri crisis 2000,Bakassi Boys , 2000, Farmers –Herders crisis 2020 , IPOB,2020 , ESN 2021 ,Oduduwa Republic Agitators 2021,Banditry, 2021 etc.
Ochefu stated that the security challenges are politically, economically, religiously and criminally motivated.
He lamented that the nation has not learnt anything about managing the root causes of social problems that make people susceptible to religious manipulations.
He called for the adoption, of technology-driven solutions for security management such as the use of biometric identity management systems , attendance management systems , and closed- circuit cameras.
Ochefu called on the states of the Federation to be proactive enough to nip in the bud all such tendencies by any person or group.
He stressed the urgent need for government to come up with a deliberate Programme to educate the citizenry on the importance of security matters.
According to him, the need for a specialized course on security issues at all levels of the nation educational system is important.
‘The education of citizens on security matters is virtually non-existent in Nigeria. Beyond radio jingles on ‘reporting suspicious persons’ there is no defined programme on inculcating a culture of “secureness” amongst our people.
“This should be a continuous exercise at all levels of the educational system and our formal and informal establishments. We should consider introducing a compulsory course at the general studies level that focuses on security.’
Finally Ochefu called on government to provide gainful employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youth as well tackle corruption in the society.