Military Joint Task Force and the Challenges of Internal Security Operations in Nigeria: The Plateau State Experience

Over the years, especially in the past decade, Nigeria seems to have been confronted with more security challenges that have threatened the corporate existence of the country. The country has also been faced with lack of adequate manpower in its security agencies, especially the Nigerian Police, as such, there is a need for collaboration and synergy among the security actors. To this end, Joint Task Forces (JTFs) are usually set up for specific purposes and assignments to resolve different security concerns. For example, the JTF in the Niger Delta is set up to checkmate militancy in the region, the Special Task Force (STF) in Plateau State is set up to curb ethno-religious conflicts in the state and some parts of Bauchi and Kaduna States and the Joint Task Force in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa is to curtail insurgency. JTFs are usually set up based on the principle of inter-agency collaboration, meaning that all the security groups would formally work together to attain specific integrated mandates. But despite the heavy presence of the military and its joint operations, conflicts seem to persist, and capacity of the military to curtail them seems threatened or questioned. Therefore, this chapter examines the challenges of Joint Task Force Operations but with particular focus on its internal security operations in Plateau state. The chapter posits that maintenance of security in Plateau State is beyond the presence of the Military Joint Task Force alone but also includes the need for collective responsibility and sincerity of purpose by politicians in the State. The chapter concludes that even though the Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended) backs the role of the military in internal security operations, a robust policy framework for joint operations would help strengthen the operations, especially in providing the needed funds to procure and efficiently carry out its mandates.