Need for Nigerian Cross-Cultural Council on Security

The first priority of any government is to protect the safety and security of its citizens both at home and abroad. The Federal Government of Nigeria is constitutionally charged with protecting Nigerians and their communities, businesses and interests. The Federal Government is also responsible for developing policies and providing the necessary institutions, procedures, and strategies for ensuring public safety and emergency preparedness.

The preservation of national security is a multi-faceted endeavour that requires cooperation across a diverse range of initiatives and programmes. The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) is responsible for coordinating work in counter-terrorism, critical infrastructure, cyber security and transportation security. The NSA is also envisaged to engage with Nigerian citizens to ensure that our country's national security efforts reflect and benefit the interests of all communities.

Protecting our communities from the threat of terrorism is of the utmost importance to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Guided by Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy, the Office of the National Security Adviser coordinates efforts to align government activities according to the four elements that underpin the strategy aimed at preventing, detecting, denying and responding to terrorism.

The success of our counter-terrorism efforts depends on collaboration with all levels of government, including State and Local Governments, law enforcement agencies and civil society organizations. The renewed agitations among the various ethnic groups, proliferation of arms, inflow of illegal aliens, existence of small cells of terrorist groups, dwindling economy coupled with rising army of unemployed youth spell grave danger for the country.

In fact, one of the toughest jobs facing our national security agencies today is routing out Boko Haram and ISISL cells that may already be in place in several cities and towns of Nigeria. Evidence abound that Boko Haram and ISISL are making frantic efforts to affiliate and spread their tentacles across religious and cultural boundaries to destabilize nations and implement a radical form of Muslim Fundamentalism. They believe that they are on a mission from God to war against the infidels. Towards this end, these Islamic terrorist groups need not be underestimated; they can do anything, including procuring and supplying weapon of mass destruction (WMD), especially as they consider Nigeria their enemy. Be it known that they will continue their religious jihad against us as long as there is a breath of life in their bodies. Therefore, it would be foolish for Nigerians not to be extra vigilant and be prepared to response appropriately to any coordinated terrorist attacks against our nation.     

It is therefore time for the Office of the National Security Adviser to create a Nigerian Cross-Cultural Council on Security (NCCS) in order to engage Nigerian community leaders on matters related to national security. The group should be designed to provide advice and perspectives to the relevant security agencies, focusing on emerging developments in national security and their impact on Nigeria's diverse and pluralistic society.

The Federal Government of Nigeria should as a matter of urgency counter the spread – or proliferation – of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons by preventing the acquisition of related goods and technologies, advanced knowledge and expertise and financial support by illegal CBRN weapons proliferators. This advice is also necessary now in the face of rising agitations for autonomy by diverse groups. 

Efforts must be intensified to prevent disruptions of critical infrastructure which could result in catastrophic loss of life or adverse economic effects, and significantly undermine the safety and wellbeing of Nigerian communities. The Federal Government of Nigeria must work with partners to strengthen the resilience of Nigeria's vital assets and systems such as our electricity grids, transportation, communications and public safety systems.

In order to embrace the full advantages of cyberspace, Nigeria must guard against those who would attack our digital infrastructure to undermine our national security, economic prosperity and quality of life. Towards this end, the Federal Government of Nigeria must work closely with domestic and international partners as part of the global effort to protect critical assets and information and combat cyber crime.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has created a clear authority for government institutions to share national security-relevant information with other designated ministries, departments and agencies that have national security responsibilities.  This must be made more functional and effective to allow for faster access to critical information when swift action is required, while respecting Nigerians' security and privacy.

A system of alerting the citizenry of possible risk of terrorist attacks must be put in place. That is, a dedicated functional communication and information disseminated advisory structure is needed now to inform Nigerians of the levels of risk of terrorist attacks at any point in time, as is obtainable in the US.  

CRUSHING NIGERIAN'S ENEMIES - BOKO HARAM

Crushing Nigeria’s Enemies – Boko Haram

When the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War ended many thought that the country had been made a safer place, and the tendency was for Nigerians to relax about national security. But, as time has shown, the end of the 30 months Civil War merely revealed other deadly dangers. From countering the Kano Disturbances in 1980 to the Niger Delta militants that nearly crippled the nation’s economy, to an international web of terrorists seeking to undermine our culture and existence and campaigning to Islamize the country, the Nigerian military has not only been unable to relax, it has been forced to be more vigilant than ever.

Nigeria is prosecuting its first full-fledged military operations since the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War in 1970. Information emanating therefrom revealed that our army is geared to fight other armies. This accounts for why the war with Boko Haram has been so different and proving difficult for us.

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s eleventh hour goal, crush Boko Haram within 6 weeks, before the 2015 general elections, failed. The President Muhammed Buhari government’s hope that bombing cities and towns of the northeastern Nigeria occupied by Boko Haram terrorists will defeat them also proves negative. Perhaps, the hit or miss strategy of President Jonathan worked in eliminating the original Abubakar Shekau, but was not effective in silencing the Boko Haram sect as the renew offensive by the group in recent times show.

Terrorism is a frontless battle. Terrorists all over the world are known to be very mobile; united by common ideology and adopt dynamic operational strategies. Like chameleon, they easily blend with their environment to carry out their evil. 

As the ongoing war against Boko Haram demonstrates, the best way to prevent terrorism is to identify and kill the terrorists. Aggression remains the key to defeating terror. Recommending Vladimir Putin, President of Russia’s strategy against terrorism to Nigeria Femi Fani-Kayode said, the Russians have cultivated the courage to stop the pampering and to desist from trying to rationalize the evil of ISIS and the forces of terror. The Russians confronted and crushed the evil of terrorism in Chechnya, and now they are doing it in the Middle East.

While condemning President Barak Obama for encouraging and tolerating evil on the altar of political expediency and for supporting or covertly funding terrorists, Femi Fani-Kayode called on the international community to “encourage the Russians to keep the bombs flying and to send the demons to hell where they belong”.

He emphasized the need “for us to come together and cleanse our land of these godless creatures. They should be cleansed from the land and eliminated in the same way that cockroaches and rats are cleansed and eliminated from a filthy house”.

There is no other way better than to kill the killers. But, arms work only where intelligence is effective. Bombs that fly without solid intelligence to direct them usually end up destroying the crops instead of the weeds. Our security forces have erroneously relied heavily on information from purported escapees to their detriment. This information mostly belated, lacked real-time intelligence materials. Again, a situation where strategies and tactics are discussed in the news media does not paint our military in good picture.

During the America-British War of 1812 the Americans made a grave mistake that change the face of intelligence protection. During the lager part of that war it was unnecessary for the British to spy on the U.S. to find out what they were planning. The US was giving information away. In the first two years of the war, American Newspapers regularly published accounts of troops’ movements, official military correspondence, and letters from officers describing operations and actions. Naturally, British generals read these papers, which became a prime source of intelligence.

   By 1814 the problem was so severe that the US Army had to publish an order forbidding the publication of military information in Newspapers. Ever since, the US military and the press have worked hand in hand during times of conflict. The US press remains free, but not at the cost of American lives to enemy attack. Information for public consumption must be separated from information for military use.

Our spies must intensify clandestine operations. Boko Haram can only be wiped out of Nigeria by some clever intelligence work, telemarketing campaigns that sell the leaders on the benefits of surrender; and which also unearths detailed information about the sect; and direct the bombs appropriately on target.

Disinformation must be encouraged and pursued. False information must be disseminated to mislead the enemy commanders into making the wrong moves so that they could be more easily defeated.

The fragmentation of databases by our law enforcement and intelligence gathering agencies is unhealthy for the nation’s efforts towards protecting the nation from the forces of destruction. The tasks that our military and intelligence community currently face are enormous:

1.      Routing out and destroying terrorist cells;

2.       Improving security at our seaports, airports and on commercial airlines;

3.      Training and equipping those responsible to terrorist attacks;

4.      Reducing the underlying conditions that terrorists seek to exploit;

5.      Improving security at our borders; and protecting potential sites of terrorist attacks.  

One of the toughest jobs facing the DSS today is routing out Boko Haram and ISIS cells that may already be in place in several cities and towns of Nigeria, especially southern Nigeria. Reports have apparently established a clear link between Boko Haram and ISIS. In August, 2015 ISIS leader, Chief Imam Ahmed Al-Assir was arrested trying to fly into Nigeria via Cairo, on a fake Palestinian travel documents. Between July and August, 2015 several members of the Boko Haram sect were arrested across the country. One Usman Shuaibu known as Money and other frontline members of the group were arrested in Lagos, Enugu, Plateau, Gombe and Kano. Shuaibu admitted being the leader of the team of Boko Haram members that was dispatched from Sambisa Forest to carry out several attacks. He disclosed that 4 out of the 9 members’ team were used as suicide bombers in executing all the recent suicide attacks.

Just yesterday, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Bruatai while addressing troops in Lagos revealed that commanders of Boko Haram and some of its foot soldiers have infiltrated Lagos and other southern states. He hinted that security agents have already arrested a handful of the terrorists.

Recently, residents of Jos were warned to be alert following intelligent report that Boko Haram is planning to attack Jos. Crushing Boko Haram aggressively depends on the military’s ability to know more about the sect than the sect does about the military.

The DSS must be granted authority NOW to question as many northerners living outside their place of origin in a search for potential terrorist cells, spies, or people who might provide information helpful to the Nigerian military war effort. It may sound selective but necessary for security reasons.

The war against terrorism in the northeastern Nigeria has dislodged many terrorists, including Muslim fundamentalists and their sympathizers from the area and are now scattered all over the country.

Therefore, agents across the country should beef up efforts at interviewing this people in their homes, where they work, study, relax or do business. The DSS should be looking for three things:

1.      Potential terrorists – search for any links with Boko Haram, ISIS and possibly sympathetic radical Muslim groups.

2.      People with no known address and no known means of livelihood who relocated to their present station recently must be interrogated for the information they may have.

3.       Those who might be interested in helping Nigeria eliminate Boko Haram.

The DSS agents must know that the interviews are to be voluntary and to assure people that the government will protect them from any anti-Boko Haram backlash. The interviewees should also be assured that they would not be sent back to their home town.

The war against terrorism is a global war but each country’s terrorist group has its peculiarity in terms of the group’s characteristics, definition and selection of targets, methods of attack and above all, set goals. Set goals or demands of terrorist groups are important elements in the overall strategy to defeating the group. Where these goals or demands are not tenable like the ones advanced by Boko Haram, total elimination of the group is the best bet. 

Intelligence holds the key to success or otherwise of any military operation. The subtle art of intelligence gathering and sophistical methods of deceiving the enemy often determines the outcome of key battles. Knowing where the enemy was going to be, when they were going to be there, and how many of them would be there, while keeping your own location and number secret, often made the difference. But, because the raw intelligence that led to victory was never publicly stated, historians tend to interpret the behavior of the confronting armies without taking intelligence into consideration.

The importance of intelligence was aptly demonstrated during the second war with Iraq. In addition to covert operations, there were huge intelligence gathering operations designed to facilitate the capture or assassination of Saddam Hussein. One method the US adopted was the monitoring of communications of Saddam’s bodyguards in an attempt to fix his location. The forces were also aided from above by a surveillance airplane known as River Joint. Despite efforts to hunt down Saddam Hussein, the US forces inside Iraq were also assembled a guerrilla forces of Kurdish dissidents, and woo Iraqi tribal and military leaders to defect, and monitored the movements of the Iraqi National Guards.

The second war against Iraq which featured both air and ground operations and which saw the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime by force was with minimum casualties and shorter period. The prolonged house-by-house fighting to capture Baghdad that had been feared did not materialize. The reason: the solid work of US intelligence. American spies were in Baghdad long before the war began, contacting religious, military and government leaders, explaining the gains of non-resistance once the war start.

How did American spies get into Baghdad? Many anti-war Americans travelled to Iraq to serve as “human shields”. Some of these orchestrated human shields were CIA agents armed with cell phones, laptop computers, and an impressive rolodex. Once in Iraq, they began what amounted to a telemarketing campaign, calling Iraqi leaders and selling them on the benefits of surrender.

In the national security business, you never can be sure who your friends are. National interest determines what happens at any point in time. Nigeria as a strong force and voice in the Multinational Joint Task Force, comprising troops from Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon and Benin, set up to fight Boko Haram Islamists should see beyond a Nigerian Boko Haram and focused on fighting a multinational Boko Haram terrorist group that has link with ISIS and other enemies of the country.

As pointed out earlier, conventional armies geared to fight other armies find it difficult to fight terrorists, without retraining, reorientation, and motivation. Towards this end, President Muhammed Buhari should create a Special Operations Command of well trained, equipped and motivated soldiers and grant them authority to conduct regional and global operations against terrorist networks.

The Special Operations Command should be empowered with men, technology, fund and other resources to plan and carry out certain missions, covert operations, and quick strikes with “hunter-killer” teams, independent of the current established combatant commands.

These missions, of course will be tightly coordinated with the NIA and DSS operations. It also calls for prior diplomatic arrangements so that covert operations can enter countries quickly, carryout their mission, and promptly exits. 

Personal interests of our leaders and fear of coup have robbed this country of viable security institutions. What happen to the Nigeria National Guards which was conceived in 1989 to be a Rapid Response Force to deal with emergencies, but killed and buried in 1993 under conflicting circumstances? My expectations, like that of many Nigerians, that the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army created in the peak of the war against Boko Haram will be a Special Operations Command was dashed when it turned out to be another regular Division of the Nigerian Army with no specialty.

Now that coups and the fear of coups in Nigeria are history can we look at national security for what it is? National security goes beyond mounting sentries at your borders and moving inside your country accusing citizens of aiding and abetting terrorism and intimidating them. Our agents must be equipped and encouraged to move out. Russians has a successful record of fighting terrorism because apart from combing its cities and towns for information of security interest, it also snoops around the world for intelligence. Our battles for security must be fought away from home; guided by the three keys to national security which have never changed since the origin of conflict:

1.      Maintain a strong military defense;

2.      Acquire the capacity to learn the secrets of enemies and potential enemies; and

3.      Keep our own secrets secret.

Nigeria must begin to exert and exercise her dominance powers in the West Africa sub-region and beyond, security wise.  

NETANYAHU'S ALARM IS GOOD FOR ISRAEL

Netanyahu’s Alarm Is Good for Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned the United States of America against agreeing to a nuclear deal with Iran and working with a country deeply rooted in militant Islam. He observed that Tehran “will always be an enemy of America”, stressing that “If the deal now being negotiated is accepted by Iran, that deal will not prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, lots of them”.

Netanyahu emphasized that Iran’s regime is “as radical as ever”, and therefore, “could not be trusted and the deal being worked out with the US would not block Iran’s way to a bomb but paves its way to a bomb”.

He appealed for s united front against terrorism and Iran’s attempt to acquire nuclear power. In his words, “We must all stand together to stop Iran’s march of conquest, subjugation and terror”.

This is not the first time Netanyahu is raising alarm over Iran’s nuclear weapons capability. In 1996 he spoke of catastrophic consequences if Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons, not only for the Middle East but for all mankind. He has severally made frivolous claims about nuclear weapons programmes in both Iran and Iraq, inventing imaginary timelines for their development and making misleading public statements.

This alarm is not only frustrating Iran’s effort to develop as a nation, ride itself of the picture of State terror sponsor, but also paint Iran as threat to peace and security in the Middle East and North Africa as well as enemy of the West.

Perhaps, many have forgotten that since 1970 Iran has been a non-nuclear weapon state party to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPI), and has an advanced nuclear programme that it declares to be peaceful in nature.

But the odds against Iran are numerous which make Netanyahu’s warning worthy of consideration. Several factors are at stake when we consider the current deal being negotiated by the US.

1.      Iran’s nuclear programme is cloaked in a shroud of secrecy. America cannot claim to have real-time intelligence information about Iran’s nuclear programmes.

2.      Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism is an issue. Is the carrot being advanced by the US capable of making Iran denounce terrorism? What will become of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihadists?

3.      Human rights abuses; and

4.      Iran’s non-recognition of Israel’s right to exist.

All which has combined to hinder the Middle East Peace Process by arming militants including Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihadists, and its continuous disruptive role in sustaining violence in the Middle East, especially Syria.

Perhaps, it is a welcome development that the Iraqi insurgency has brought Washington and Tehran together. But, Obama endorsement of this marriage from hell is rather too fast and irrational. Obama anchor his stance on “Iran can play a constructive role”. Iran and US may cooperate for convenience, but beyond subduing common enemies, their goals and aspirations are not the same. We are watching to see if Iran can really become a strong US ally in the fight against terrorism despite its official sponsorship of Hezbollah.

We also want to see how the cooperation over Iraq can solve the problems of jihadists from Europe who cross Iran to join the fight against US and NATO troops in Pakistan.

Besides, diplomats from both the West and Iran have maintained the following:

a.        That they are nowhere close on a deal to halt Tehran’s nuclear programme;

b.      That sanctions are not going away anytime soon; and

c.       That relationship between Washington and Tehran is far from cordial.

Who then is fooling who? America is approaching a hypercritical problem with a mind fixed on the enemy of my enemy is my friend. This stance portends grave consequences for peace and security in the Middle East and North Africa as violence and terror expand.

In championing the fight against terrorism America’s choice of enemies and friends have been very controversial and questionable. The case of Nigeria, my country, comes to mind here. Nigeria, though not colonized by America has been America close friend and ally. Unfortunately, during the 30 months Nigerian-Biafra Civil War (1967 – 1970) and the ongoing war against the terror group, Boko Haram, the US denied Nigeria arms to defend our sovereignty; protect our citizens’ lives and properties; secure our freedom; and guard our human rights and democracy. In other words, twice Nigeria was in great danger, twice America abandoned her to her fate and twice Nigeria turned to Russia to get help. In all, Nigeria has remained a faithful friend and ally of America.

But for decades now, the same America has been providing Iranians with tools and training necessary to advocate for their interests, protect citizens’ rights, and to communicate securely and freely with each other and the outside world.

When you compare the two scenarios above you will find where Netanyahu’s fears are placed, and also why he will continually raise the alarm for a long time to come, at least, to tell the world that he is suspicious of US romance with Iran or any other known enemy of Israel.

Secondly, that he doesn’t trust the US dealings with Iran vis-à-vis its nuclear programme.

Thirdly, though, Iran is said to be far from making nuclear weapons, the alarm aims to prevent the US from embarking on activities and relationship that will sooner or later consume Israel or further jeopardize peace and security in the Middle East. There is no idle romance!

The dilemma of US now is whether to reinvade Iraq or equip Iran properly to contain Iraq, particularly the activities of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Double standard is weapon of deception whether on the economic level or political level. The US is still employing the instrument of cruel deception it invented during the Cold War in rather larger scale. Netanyahu is an insider, therefore should not be blamed for raising empty alarm. A study of the Cold War revealed the “State of mind that encourages international deception and the mind of the State that perpetuate it”. Big brother favours fraud instead of force to manipulate, dominate, and control the world.

After winning the Cold War, US now leads the race in converting enemies into friends and turning friends into enemies without blinking an eye. Netanyahu is not ignorant of America’s propensity to betraying allies, especially in supporting and later attacking them, hence the continual alarm.

Netanyahu’s alarm is for the good of Israel and for peace in the Middle East and North Africa. Keep warning the US; keep sounding the alarm; keep shouting. After all, to be forewarned is to be forearmed.            

BASIC SECURITY AWARENESS FOR CRIME PREVENTION

Basic Security Awareness for Crime Prevention

Being text of Paper Presented by Chief Ollorwi Osaro at a One Day Security Sensitization Seminar for Community Trust Chairmen and Surveillance Supervisors organized by SPDC/GMOU Eleme Cluster Development Board on Monday 2^nd March, 2015

Introduction

This paper sets out to introduce the participants to the security landscape, roles of security in business and society, and inculcate in them basic crime/loss prevention attitudes and improve their capacity to anticipate, respond to and manage simple security activities in their areas of responsibility. It is expected that the attendees will come away with proven techniques and the judgment needed to gauge the vulnerabilities of the facilities they protect in any situation.

What Is Security Awareness?

Security awareness refers to the knowledge and attitude an individual possesses regarding the protection of both tangible and intangible assets. It means the level, quality of impact of security knowledge subsisting in an individual and his attitudinal change resulting therefrom at any point in time. This level of quality of security consciousness created by security awareness as a state of mind in the eyes of the beholder is directly related to the reality of the security programme he has been exposed to.

Being security aware entails that you understand that there is the potential for some people to deliberately or accidentally steal, damage, misuse or sabotage corporate assets. But, it is your responsibility to try within the law to stop them. Security awareness equips us to be security conscious and puts us on our guard always.

The awareness of risks and available safeguards is the first line of defense for the assets.  The focus of security awareness is a shift in the attitude of the individual towards security and the promotion of cultural and behavioural changes security-wise. In this context, a potential law breaker (where security awareness is present and communicated) will be wary and watchful before attempting to commit a crime or provoke loss. Secondly, the potential offender having perceive or believe that security awareness is in place will think twice before committing any crime for fear of being caught, prosecuted and jailed.

Crime Triangle

 The crime triangle defines those factors that must be present for any crime commission. These are Desire, Motive and Opportunity.

                                                        Crime Triangle

                                                                                 

                                                            

                                                             Desire                        Motive

 

                                                                            

                                                                           Opportunity

For instance, for a loss to occur there must be:

1.      Opportunity to take

2.      Opportunity to remove

3.      The goods

4.      A perpetrator

You can combat 1 and 2 above by deleting opportunity and controlling exists.

The crime triangle as explained will remind us always that the important role security awareness plays as a strategy against crime and loss is to institute the 3Ds of Crime Prevention namely: Deter, Delay, and Deny Opportunity. In crime prevention, your ability to deter, delay and deny opportunity helps you be in firm control of the situation which the criminal need to make his desire and motive materialize.

It is common knowledge that most of us do a lot of things either out of ignorance, carelessness, or negligence, if you like, which give us away to the criminal. We tend to forget that the criminal is always planning and strategizing ahead of us in most cases.

 

Therefore, it is important that measures that will make the 3Ds part of our daily routines are in place. When leaving your house to your duty post, while at your beat, or returning home, build security into whatever you think, say, or do. The ultimate goals of any security programme rests on the issue of awareness of the security efforts in existence. Ask yourself, “Why security is always identified with a colour or emblem?” The answer is VISIBILITY.  What does visibility create? It creates awareness and awareness creates a state of mind based on a reality – a viable reality.

Give Security a Reality

Most individuals or organizations fail to buttress or validate the credibility of security efforts. The security effort is validated when security success is amplified and properly communicated. When judged by what did not happen, security programme becomes credible. Crime prevention is the bottom-line of any security effort. And security efforts are implemented primarily to prevent unwanted and undesirable incidence or crime. This can only be accomplished by prevention through deterrence (PTD) based on security awareness.

Presence

Security awareness is created by large measure of PRESENCE, real presence. The “real” attached to presence stands for quality. Quality has to do with prime functionality, the security officer or surveillance guard doing his job the way it should be done, the supervisor monitoring and inspecting his security programme and the manager scanning the environment, reviewing and upgrading the security measures from time to time in keeping with changing realities/environment.

Measuring Quality

Quality in our case should be measured by three discernible factors notably:

a.       Care and effort in the selection process of methodology and personnel,

b.      Care and effort in preparing such personnel for their work, and

c.       Care and effort in managing daily performance of officers and function.

If you have quality people, train them well, and they are conscious in their quality equipment and functions, then you probably have a programme on which to build “security awareness”.

Total Security Awareness

Our approach to security awareness must be total. Security awareness must be taken beyond you; it must be contagious, otherwise the little lapse that exists may render all efforts useless. Security awareness should not be limited to you and your colleagues. It affects everybody that chances to come unto your area of responsibility and even your individual property. Though the presence of security officers, security routines or procedures and “SEEN” efficiency of security officers is sufficient security consciousness to the passersby, the facility security officer is another case entirely. The security officer may be so accustomed to these routines, procedures, and presence that he routinely fails to “SEE” the obvious. We should know that in most cases, crimes do occur and succeed because the employees fail to maximize the security opportunity at their disposal. They may by so doing bring themselves, their supervisors and managers, and employer into disrepute or outright danger.

Security Ownership

Building and sustaining the culture of security ownership is an important aspect in any security programme’s success. Security ownership is a significant part of security success in any environment. The culture of security ownership can be achieved and maintained through:

a.       Real Ownership.    Every stakeholder must own an interest in security.

b.      Communication. The “owners” must be on the same page and in the “know” concerning security situation at each point in time.

c.       Collaboration. The security programme should be structured to ensure smaller work units and greater accountability, promoting a team-like environment.

Always Anticipate Trouble

The best way you can protect yourself and the facility is to anticipate trouble and take steps to avoid it. Target hardening entails building up defensive screens to make both yourself and the assets under your safeguard less vulnerable.

Create and Sustain Security Awareness

Creating and sustaining security awareness requires:

Ø  regular security education,

Ø  background check on applicants,

Ø  induction courses,

Ø  signs and posters,

Ø  salary alert messages and incorporation of bonus money as number of incidents in an area decreases,

Ø  communicating security through policies,

Ø  perpetuating security awareness in the communities,

Ø  recognizing employees/citizens involvement in security,

Ø  establishing reward/award programmes,

Ø  regular environmental scanning, and

Ø  analysis of Threat – Reference – Adversary (TRA), which enables you to analyze all possible threats and adversaries so that credible threats and adversaries can be identified and this information used as a basis for planning, implementing and reviewing security measures.

Generally, TRA aims to educate, identify and clarify present and perceived threats and adversaries lay groundwork for protection. The examples of these TRA include:

 

S/NO	THREAT	ADVERSARY
a.	Pipeline Vandalism	Ethnic Militias, Terrorist, and Other Extremist Protesters
b.	Armed Attack	Terrorist, Ethnic Militias, Other Extremist Protesters, Disoriented Persons
c.	Hostage Taking	Terrorist, Ethnic Militias, Other Extremist Protesters, Disoriented Persons, Miscellaneous Criminal Groups, Disgruntled persons, etc.
d.	Kidnapping	Terrorist, Ethnic Militias, Other Extremist Protesters, Disoriented Persons, Miscellaneous Criminal Groups, Organized Sophisticated Criminal Groups.
e.	Armed Robbery	Terrorist, Disoriented Persons and Miscellaneous Criminal Groups.
f.	Political/Ritual Killing	Disoriented Persons, Organized Sophisticated Criminal Groups, and Miscellaneous Criminal Groups
g	Cultism	Disoriented Persons, Organized Sophisticated Criminal Groups, and Miscellaneous Criminal Groups
h.	Advance Fee Fraud	Organized Sophisticated Criminal Groups and Miscellaneous Criminal Groups

There is always overlap among adversary groups and this fact must be kept in mind by all at all times.

Role of Security in Business

The basic aim of security is to contribute to business profits by reducing or eliminating preventable losses resulting from all aspects of waste, accident, error, and crime (WAEC). Since the primary goals of any organization is to be in service and to generate income, and that it accomplishes these goals by providing effective customers’ service security must contribute by reducing and if possible eliminate losses caused by internal and external factors.

Security Basic Mind Set

The security programme must be effective by identifying potential and perceives threats to the assets under safeguard, the potential adversaries and vulnerabilities, and design appropriate safeguard measures. This you can do effectively by understanding that:

1.      Crime simply cannot exist in an atmosphere of caution and security knowledge.

2.      Criminals will just go to another target when confronted by obstacles to their plans.

3.      Any person can be a criminal; hence everyone is a potential criminal provided the figure, place, and circumstances (Desire, Motive, and Opportunity) are right and favourable.

4.      “Street” criminals commit crimes in order to survive, and often three categories as opportunity present themselves. These are:

a.       Crimes committed by fear, force, and violence.

b.      Crimes committed by device, document, and technology.

c.       Crimes committed by trick or deceit.

5.      Professional criminals commit crimes to support a lifestyle, and often limit themselves to one of the three categories mentioned above.

6.      If a determined criminal really wants to commit a crime, he will find a way to do so, regardless of any policies, procedures, laws, or regulations in place. That is where security must reduce or eliminate the opportunity for a crime to be committed by putting in place appropriate security measures from time to time.

Threats of Concern

Threat refers to a person, thing, or circumstance likely to cause damage, danger, or harm. It is any thing that has the potential to exploit a vulnerability or security failure to breach security and thus cause harm. A threat can be intentional or accidental. In Nigeria, the oil pipelines are vulnerable to several threats with diverse adversaries. These threats which are of concern to us include: Oil Theft, Armed Attack, Civil Unrest, Hostage Incident, Kidnapping, Sabotage, Pipeline Vandalization, etc.

Causes of Oil Pipeline Sabotage and Vandalization

These threats which are perpetuated by such adversaries as oil import contractors, smuggling mafia, and illegal oil bunkerers who constitute themselves into Organized Sophisticated Criminal Groups; including miscellaneous criminal groups, disgruntled persons, disoriented persons, extremist protest groups, and terrorist groups are of great concern to the society at large and security practitioners in particular.

In Eleme, the most likely threat groups are the organized sophisticated criminal groups who reside in and around the pipelines that conspire with outsiders to constitute regular threat to the oil products pipelines. The use of hacksaws and blades to cut the pipes and siphoning of oil from pipelines and other infrastructure has remained a major threat. The root cause of pipeline vandalization is its vulnerability which is attributed to the long distance and remoteness of the pipeline.

The second and equally important cause is the exposure of the pipelines on ground surface which also make it vulnerable to attacks.

Other causes which are beyond the scope of this paper include hate, grievances, unemployment, poor social responsibility, poverty, availability of small and light weapons, quest for materialism, etc.

Prohibition of Oil Pipeline Sabotage

In Nigeria oil pipeline sabotage is prohibited in Section 1 of the Petroleum Production and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act No. 353 of 1990. The Act defines a saboteur as any person who does aids another person, or incites, counsels or procures any other person to do anything with intent to obstruct or prevent the production or distribution of petroleum products in any part of Nigeria or willfully does anything with the intent to obstruct or prevent the procurement of petroleum products for distribution in respect of any vehicle or any public highway with intent to obstruct or prevent the use of that vehicle or that public highway for the distribution of  petroleum products.

Accomplice is Guilty of Economic Sabotage

The Act defines Sabotage as “The illegal or unauthorized act of destroying or puncturing of oil pipelines so as to disrupt supply or to siphon crude oil or its refined products for sale on the black-market, or any other outlet. It includes such acts as oil bunkering, pipeline vandalization, fuel scooping, and oil terrorism”. In this sense, any person or group of persons involved in such an act is considered to be guilty of economic sabotage.

What this portends is that any act by you to aid and abet a vandal will render you guilty of economic sabotage; and you know what that means. You will not only loose your job, but face prosecution and imprisonment. This aims to create the necessary awareness.

Sabotage is a Premeditated Crime

Sabotage is an intentional disruption of the operation of an organization, very often involving destruction of property. Sabotage is an intentional act, or failure to act, and is meant to damage the property, personnel, moral, or general efficiency of an organization. It can be perpetuated in several ways and often very difficult to find the specific offender, but could be prevented through a well-crafted and strongly implemented security programme that effectively addresses all the basic security issues earlier mentioned.

Know What Crime May Impact Clients

Private Security Officers/Surveillance guards are not law enforcement agents, nor are you expected to act as police officers to practice effective crime prevention tactics. You must attempt at all times to know what crimes may impact the client, who is likely to commit them, how they are likely to occur, and when they are likely to occur and then act proactively. A surveillance guard should use detective techniques by:

a.       Gathering facts by observation and interview;

b.      Assessing those facts and determine their relative values’

c.       Drawing conclusions and planning a course of action; and

d.      Acting upon the course of action or making recommendations for others to follow.

Relevant Tips

v  You should also encourage other community members to be vigilant and report any threat to security around the facility to you.

v  Take note of strangers or loiters and suspicious incidents around the facility.

v  Avoid loose talk about assets under your protection.

v  Do not challenge an armed unrecognized visitor or non-pass wearing person (s).

v  Ensure that SPDC personnel and vendors have proper identification and work permit to access the facility.

v  Ensure access to sensitive areas is limited.

v  Always make sure there is a clear view from your position.

v  Unusual telephone calls, particularly those in which the caller does not identify himself or those in which it appears that the caller may be misrepresenting himself should not be answered, especially if you are in the line.

Arrest

Although the private security personnel perform functions similar to the public law enforcement officers, he has no formal authority than an average citizen. Take note that you as private security personnel are acting only on behalf of the person, business or organization that hires you.