26012020 - How bad an example was set in Zamfara

PAGE 12—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 26, 2020
COMMUNITY POLICING:
Seven things you didn’t
know, by Colonel Stan-Labo (ret.)
• ‘Prerequisites for changing current security narratives’
The Federal Government wants South-
West governors promoting Amotekun
to resolve insecurity in their states to
look in the direction of community policing
just like their counterparts in the North-
Central who, last week, embraced the
strategy. Colonel Hassan Khalifa
Stanislous-Labo (ret.), a former Head,
Training Division, Army Peacekeeping
Centre and Chief of Staff (Brigade level),
with operational responsibility over several
joint security platforms serving as the hub
for coordination and implementation, in a
piece entitled, ‘PREREQUISITES FOR
CHANGING THE CURRENT SECURITY
NARRATIVES’, diagnoses community
policing among other issues.
Descent
Despite concerted efforts by the military
and law enforcement agencies, the
prevailing security situation in the country
continuous to suffer a progressive
degeneration and slant that leaves the
impression of a national descent into
anarchy. The additional burden of
abductions, kidnapping, banditry, cattle
rustling, herdsmen and farmers clashes has
further exacerbated the challenges of
internal security with a nation-wide spread.
This unacceptable security situation calls
for some ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking in search
of solutions to unravel the mystery behind
these developments. In line with this
thought, Five (5) major imperatives would
need to be quickly addressed amongst other
compelling actions. These are:
a. Funding.
b. Manpower.
c. Equipment / Logistics.
d . Training.
e . Welfare.
FUNDING
Funding of the National Security/Defence
Sector cannot be left exclusively to the
national budget alone. To do this would
amount to the Security sector competing
with other vital sectors for the limited
resource on the table. Additional source of
funding outside the budget must be
identified and exploited.
Suggested Solution:
a. The establishment of a National
Security Trust Fund.
Establish a National Security Trust Fund
and cultivate the participation of corporate
bodies, the informal sector and general
public to contribute One per cent (1%) of
their gross earnings in to the fund.
Contributions in to the fund would enable
the citizenry buy into the security situation
on ground and take ownership of it. The
Lagos State Security Trust Fund is a typical
example of a success story that could be
replicated at the Federal level. It would be
surprising how much the Federal
Government would raise from the
following segments:
i. The Oil Sector.
ii. The Banking Sector.
iii. Major Corporate bodies.
iv. The Organised Private sector.
v. Civil Servants.
vi. The informal Sector.
b. The establishment of Military
Industrial Complex.
The current effort by the Nigerian Army
under the incumbent COAS, Lt Gen TY
Buratai in the areas of vehicle
manufacturing and combat protective
equipment could be further expanded
harnessing all instrumentalities of national
power to build our own
Military Industrial Complex.
MAN POWER
The manpower deficit
currently suffered by both the
Military and Police remains
a major impediment to any
infestation plan required by
own force in countering the
freedom of action and
domination currently enjoyed
by the belligerent insurgents
and bandits in the forest.
While troops are required for
fighting purpose, they are
also needed for embedding
roles in communities and
other rear area activities in
conjunction with civil
authority. Meeting the man
power requirement for these
field activities, places much
pressure on the highly
limited manpower resource
of the Army.
To address this deficit, we
must first come to the reality
of accepting that our country,
Nigerian, is at war. Therefore, our force
generation effort must reflect that required
sense of urgency needed in meeting Man
power needs in the field.
Suggested Solution: (Short Term)
a. Recall all reservists on a fresh reengagement
contract deal.
i. Recall all service personnel (on the
Reserve) that left the military in the last 0-
5yrs. This recall exercise should not include
The level of
official complicity,
indifference,
tolerance and
relaxed
disposition that
characterise
security activities
at our land
borders, negates
border protection
principle
officers as there are enough officers in the
field to command the men.
ii. Attach good incentives to the recall
directives if the aim must be archived.
iii. Select the physically fit among
them.
iv. Get them to sign a 3-5yrs reengagement
contract deal.
v. Take them through a 6-8 Weeks
robust re-training package specific to
needs.
vi. The fresh contract deal must come
with an attractive package if the aim and
purpose must be archived.
Looking back at history, it would be
recalled that the first wave of 10,000 troops
inserted in to Afghanistan by the United
States were from the Reserve pool. We have
a swell strength on ground that could be
regarded as our reserve. We could fall back
to it in the National interest.
Suggested Solution: (Long Term)
i. Establish additional training depots
in the North, East and South-
South with a holding capacity
of not less than 3, 000 recruits
each.
ii. The Nigeria Police
should also establish
additional training colleges
with a view to meeting the C-
in-C’s directive on the
recruitment of 10,000 men in
to the Police.
EQUIPMENT AND
LOGISTICS
Technology today rules the
world. With adequate
technology comes good
economy of time and human
effort with better results. Part
of the major problems here
have always been the
following:
i. The absence of
technological integration in
our processes.
ii. Shopping for wrong
equipment (not fit for
purpose).
iii. Outright shortage of
vital equipment in the field.
iv. The insensitivity of the
Procurement policy to military exigencies.
Suggested Solution:
The following must be borne in mind:
i. The National Procurement policy
should be amended to adequately
accommodate exigencies flowing from the
Security/Defence sector.
ii. End-users should be carried along
in all military procurement process.
iii. Patronage of robust manufacturers
readily disposed to favourable terms.
iv. Patronage of well-informed
Vendors with eyes for details.
v. Equipment should be user friendly
and of right configurations.
vi. Equipment should be fit for
purpose, specific to weather, terrain and
ground conditions.
vii. Procurement packages should be
well negotiated to accommodate training,
servicing, spares, upgrading and prelaunch
challenges in the field.
TRAINING
Adequate training is a prerequisite for
success in the field. A well trained soldier is
an asset to his Commander. Joint training
in facilitation of the Higher Commanders
intent should be put in place. As at date,
we are yet to attain our desired End-state
in Joint Force Integration in the field. Our
training focus must therefore address this
deficit at both the Tactical and Operational
levels.
Suggested Solution:
i . Training facilities should be
expanded to accommodate more troops for
greater participation.
ii. Training facilities should be
equipped in line with training needs.
iii. Doctrine and Curriculum in use
should be needs specific.
iv. Training facilities should be
adequately manned by our best hands and
brains, who are knowledgeable and
experienced.
v. Instructors should be adequately
motivated with the right welfare packages
to enhance commitment and focus. It
should be made a thing of pride to be posted
as an instructor.
vi. Training institutions should not
serve as dumping grounds for disgruntled
and indiscipline officers or officers who
have falling out of favour with the
establishment.
WELFARE
Troops’ welfare conditions must be
prioritised and adequately addressed to
enable the soldier in the forward lines
concentrate on the task before him. He must
continually live with the reassurance that
his family left at the barracks, in the rear, is
well catered for, his kids have not been
thrown out of school due to school fees
palaver nor his pregnant wife having
challenges accessing ante-natal care at the
Unit MRS with no show of concern from
authorities.
Suggested Solution:
A far reaching review of troops’ welfare
template is highly suggested to include the
following amongst others:
i. Soldiers’ daily operational
allowance to be upgraded to N5, 000 daily.
ii. Soldiers on operation to be placed
on double salary per month, one paid
directly to his wife in the rare, and the
second to his personal salary account. The
practice of double salary was in place in
the Moroccan Army all through their
border war with The Saharawi Democratic
Republic which lasted well over 30 years.
The practise provides adequately for the
soldier’s domestic family needs in the rare,
without the fear of disruptions to his
planned savings.
iii. The Nigerian Army Welfare
Insurance Scheme (NAWIS) package
should be reasonably enhanced in line with
present day realities.
iv. Soldiers with up to 25 years of
service should be entitled to a home
befitting their status on retirement, at a
location of their choice. This could be
enabled through a soft mortgage facility
attracting a source deduction of 5% per cent
from their monthly pension only.
v. The NHIS should be expanded to
cover every ailment of the serving or retired
personnel rather than the present selective
practice in which hundreds of retired
personnel with severe body organ issues
(heart, liver, kidney, lungs, pancreas etc.)
have become technically eliminated from
the scheme to face the ultimate
consequences of fate.
OTHER COMPLEMENTING LINES OF
ACTION
THE BORDER PROTECTION FORCE
Nigeria has the most extensive land
border in Africa traversing over 3,000
communities, 105 LGAs, 21 States and over
1571 foot paths leading in to the Maghreb
Region of North Africa. The level of official
complicity, indifference, tolerance and
relaxed disposition that characterise
security activities at our land borders,
negates border protection principle with
severe consequences for our internal
security.
The unhindered influx of small arms and
light weapon, unchecked movement of
illegal immigrants, herders, bandits, cattle
rustlers and armed insurgents hell bent on
taking advantage of the porous nature of
our borders must be halted.
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