National Security Challenges in Nigeria: Issues and Options

Abstract

National security doctrine is one of the indispensable principles of modern statehood. The capacity of the modern state to defend the nation against external threats is a crucial ingredient of traditional conceptions of sovereignty. The changes in the security environment after the end of the cold war influenced the development of the concept of human security. Human security implies protecting people from critical and pervasive threats and situations, building on their strengths and aspirations. Nigeria in the last one decade has been going through tough National Security challenges that doubts are being raised about its survival as a nation. For many Nigerians, a sense of insecurity comes from the concerns about their survival, self-preservation and wellbeing. Security means protection from the threat of diseases, hunger, unemployment, crime, social conflict, political repression and environmental degradation. Addressing the complex security challenges, requires given precedence to the issue of governance most especially institutionalizing a culture of democratic accountability at all levels of government, building and/or consolidating a culture of peace in the political system; broadening the participation of the citizenry in the political process; ensuring that marginalized groups – especially women and the youth - are better represented; defending the human and civil rights of the citizenry; the entrenchment of the rule of law principles; putting in place more stringent laws against corruption  and having a legislative framework for SALW Control.