Ugar Ukandi Odey, Jos
Global partnership of World Powers, rather than local and indigenous options, have been identified as viable alternatives in combating on-going security challenges in Nigeria
Saying the on-going security problems in Nigeria are “massively complex and no partnership is going to resolve such multiplicity of problems”, the British Envoy and Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, while answering questions from newsmen, also said Nigeria’s security problems are not just about intelligence and security and military structure, but are linked to issues such as society, humanitarian support, and education.
He said “as one of the key reasons why partnerships will not work in resolving the problems”, the issues of society, humanitarian support, and education must be re-appraised and factored into policy and programming of counter terrorism.
It will be recalled that the Advent of British ‘sphere of influence’ in Africa for trade interests and territorial rights identified five uniquely different “societies” that eventually became “Nigeria” under British colonialism.
According to the British Minister for Africa, some non-negotiable values such as autochthony, ethnography, demography, economy, and religion are critical in determining a new, peaceful, and harmonious Nigeria, noting that the earlier amalgamation of Nigeria along mutually exclusive treaties had their shortcomings and time bombs, and that could be the bane of local partnerships to counter insecurity in Nigeria today.
It will be recalled that in a virtual meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on April 22, 2021, current US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinke described the security problems of Nigeria as “extraordinary”.
