An Overview of Theoretical and Practical Issues in Internal Security Management in Nigeria

This chapter interrogates internal security management as a legitimate human interest and an aspect of the broad concept of security governance. It conceptualises security management to involve all planning, operational and tactical actions undertaken to prevent, contain or respond to a security situation with a view to strengthening existing security regime, neutralise perceived threats or normalise the situation in the aftermath of a breach. The chapter adopts a working definition of internal security management as administering the dynamics of security within a determinable unit of existence, which may be a community, town or country. It treats internal security as a preoccupation that could span the micro, and macro, levels, often also impacting on the domain of external security. This is based on the logic that the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of internal security management affects external security responses and capabilities, which though focus on externalities, affect and are affected by the former. The chapter presents a theoretical framing of the issues in internal security management in Nigeria by exploring how the mix of historical and structural factors, governance, legislation, actors, drivers, dynamics and capacities of stakeholders impact the efficacy or otherwise of the internal security sub-sector. The objective of the chapter is to provide a broad-brush analysis that mirrors the internal security management efforts and to identify challenges and lessons learned as well as prospects for improving the internal security management architecture in Nigeria, including responses to new and emerging threats, such as the Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping, sectarian violence, youth radicalisation, violent extremism, militancy, pastoralists’ and sedentary farmers’ conflicts, and separatist agitations. The backdrop for the reflections on these issues is section 14 (2) (a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which stipulates that “The security and welfare of the people shall be a primary purpose of government”. Deriving from this provision, it is argued that government tends to lose its essence when it is unable to guarantee the basic internal (human) security requirements of society. The chapter ends with a conclusion, which summarises the main arguments as well as presents a set of policy-relevant recommendations.