Upb Seminar Presentation

8/3/2019 Upb Seminar Presentation

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Global Insecurity and its Aftermaths: Nigeria @ 2011

A A Adedeji,Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Introduction

War, a major public health problem, is a situation where the interests of public health, human rights, andhumanitarian law intersect. People's insecurity is a massive global health issue and it comes down toarmed violence and its effects, both direct and indirect. The health impact of insecurity can bedocumented and used to change security policies that in turn can have a powerful positive impact onhealth - good living. The required security can be and has been achieved by interplay of international,national and personal security measures, many of which constitute national obligations underinternational law. The effects of the global insecurity are clearly shown in most of the developing nationsespecially in Africa and Nigeria in particular. The result of the global insecurity is not far-fetched when wetalk of Boko-Haram and Delta Region problems in Nigeria. Other African nations are not left out Battlesfor most of the North African Nations and trouble in Somalia to mention a few (Figure 1). What is theaftermaths? Hunger, striking poverty in the majority that lead to ill-health to death No wonder theaverage death rate of Africans is 15 years/1000 population. See Table 1.

Africa (Current High Trouble Areas) Nigeria (Zone 1 and Zone 2)

Spreading

Spreading wit feedback

Figure 1 Africa and Nigeria: The current serious trouble zones

During conflicts, women's reproductive health is severely threatened. Breakdowns in public healthservices and the scarcity of money mean little or no access to birth control, to life-saving pregnancy-related care, and supplies for menstruating women. A notable account by Rhen and Sirleaf(www.irinnews.org, 2011) of some other problems in any conflict area includes: Sexually TransmittedInfections (STIs) especially in young girls who have lost family guidance due to war and displacement areespecially vulnerable to sexual exploitation; The mental effects of war and GBV can be enormous.Anxiety, post- traumatic stress disorders, depression and suicide are the most common; Often husbandswho do survive and stay with their families become so depressed that they drink too much and abusetheir families; children after birth are half-normal, the few normal ones are fully stressed so as to die early.This paper use Nigeria as case study, having in mind that most African Countries are not in good shapein terms of global insecurity effects on them.The new thinking about people's security is promulgated by the international health community. While thegenerous donation by governments/organizations that indirectly provide funds for promoting health and

ZONE 1

ZONE 2
http://www.irinnews.org/http://www.irinnews.org/http://www.irinnews.org/http://www.irinnews.org/


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people's security in Africa is not the only issue, direct teaching only is the key on how to fish for suchsecurity.The usual kangaroo solutions from The Able Nations can no longer have effects on the confused AfricanNations, especially Nigeria where both natural and artificial resources are abundantly available.

Table 1 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population)- partly shown

Rank Country Death rate(deaths/1,000 population)

1 Swaziland 30.7

2 Angola 24.44

3 South Africa 22.7

4 Lesotho 22.33

5 Sierra Leone 22.26

6 Zimbabwe 21.7

7 Liberia 21.45

8 Zambia 21.35

9 Mozambique 20.29

10 Niger 20.26

11 Djibouti 19.16

12 Central African Republic 18.26

13 Malawi 17.89

14 Nigeria 16.41

47 Egypt 5.09

48 Algeria 4.62

49 Libya 3.46

Source: indexmundi.com

In NigeriaBoko HaramTHE GROUP:Boko Haram became active in around 2003 and is concentrated mainly in the northern Nigerian states(See Figure 1) of Yobe, Kano, Bauchi, Borno and Kaduna. Boko Haram, which in the Hausa languagespoken in northern Nigeria, means "Western education is sinful" and is loosely modeled on the Talibanmovement in Afghanistan. The group considers all who do not follow its strict ideology as infidels, whetherthey are Christian or Muslim. It demands the adoption of Islamic law, sharia, in all of Nigeria. Boko Haramfollowers have prayed in separate mosques in cities including Maiduguri, Kano and Sokoto, and wearlong beards and red or black headscarves.

MAJOR ATTACKS:In July 2009, Boko Haram staged attacks in the northeastern city of Bauchi after the arrest of some of itsmembers, and clashed with police and the army in the northern city of Maiduguri. Some 800 people werekilled in five days of fighting in the two cit ies. Later that month, August, sect leader Mohammed Yusuf wascaptured by Nigerian security forces and shot dead in police detention hours later. In early July 2010,Abubakar Shekau, a former deputy leader of the sect who was thought to have been killed by police in2009, appeared in a video and claimed leadership of the group. He said he was ready to launch attackson western influences in Nigeria. Boko Haram has said it was behind almost daily attacks in the remotenorth-east of the Country and in a car bombing at police headquarters in Abuja in June, 2011
http://www.reuters.com/places/afghanistanhttp://www.reuters.com/places/afghanistan


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In a global perspective, a strike on an international target like the U.N. would mark a rise in its ambitions.At least 18 people were involved while a car slammed through security gates of the U.N. complex,crashed into the basement and exploded, sending vehicles flying and setting the building ablaze. Withoutconcluding a thing, it has an international connotation in its latest action. In June,Boko Haram pulled off a similar strike on police headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. In both attacks thebombers died but police were not sure the driver in June intended to be killed Trying to confuse peopleor something else. This unclear. It important to note that if the attacker at the U.N. was a suicide bomber,it would be the first ever in Nigeria.Intelligence officials claimed that there is evidence to suggest some Boko Haram members have trainedin Niger and have connections with al Qaeda's North African wing, al Qaeda in the Islamic Mahgreb(AQIM). The attack on the U.N. has increased fears about those links,

Figure 1. A typical scene each time Boko hara struck

POSSIBLE LINKSThe scale of the explosion at the UN building suggests that a different method was used, for instanceinvolving military grade explosive such as Semtex, or explosive made from ammonium nitrate," riskforecasting company. Report from Nigerian news early September indicated that in two major cities in theNorthern part of Nigeria, factories/workshops manufacturing local time bombs were found This would be aclearer indication that training or supply lines have been opened between Boko Haram and other externallinks such as Talibans or Al-qaeda (AQIM)"On the second bomb blast, a committee last been set up to look into the unrest in the northeast but theteam has delayed delivering its report, while the heavy-handed security forces have done more harm thangood, according to local residents and Amnesty International.While there is a layer of Boko Haram that is driven by fundamental ideology, many of its members aredisillusioned, unemployed youths, and over-glaring poverty in the area that kills children and the olds.Further attacks are stoked by local politicians, hiding under the guise of the sect, in an effort to damageopponents. President Jonathan condemned the U.N. attack and said it is a reminder of the internationalcharacter of terrorism.This current and single insecurity in the north is quite different from the usual past insecurity that ravagedthe North on the common belief: MUSLIM NORTH and CHRITAN MAJORITY SOUTH. This is out offashion. This recent assaults are not helped by a growing sense of economic alienation in the country.

The Delta RegionThe Niger Delta is an unstable area of Nigeria, and inter-ethnic clashes are common - often access to oilrevenue is the trigger for the violence. Pipelines are regularly vandalized by impoverished residents, whorisk their lives to siphon off fuel. Vandalism is estimated to result in thousands of barrels of crude oil


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wastage every day - a loss to the Nigerian economy of millions of dollars each year. Nigeria is the world'ssixth largest oil-producing nation. However, mismanagement and successive military governments haveleft the country poverty-stricken.Ijaw ethnic nationality of the Niger Delta within the Nigerian state is scattered across six states -- Ondo,Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States. The Ijaws are a nation of more than fourteen millionpeople in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, the most populous indigenous inhabitants of the Niger Deltaand constitute the fourth largest ethnicity within the borders of Nigeria.Since the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantity in Oloibiri (Ijawland) in 1958, oil companies suchas Shell (Anglo/Dutch), AGIP (Italian), Elf (French) and Chevron (American) have colluded with themilitary and successive governments of Nigeria in war of economic exploitation, environmentaldegradation, and of internal colonialism.

In Africa

COMMON SCENERIOThe worst leaders in Africa obtain 98% of votes through elections rigging, and the use of diabolical means(when in power). These leaders render the dreams of peoples inspiration and hope dashed andunattainable, while they tend to remain in power for ever.Issues of peace and security in Africa are a robust requirement, but unfortunately there are very fewbrave professional experts in peace and security development, as the majority have fear of sudden death

or final poverty that could be their reward from those leaders of 98% - MET and not EMET. Lack ofhuman resource necessary to avert conflict and redefine security in line with contemporary challengesremains a challenge.At any level, security and peace must be sought through action when entire population is left to know andpractice their rights, which on the other hand compel governments to act responsibly. The people mustgive direction to myopic leaders as a means to achieve security and peace.

The results of any war/conflict torn areas are as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

NO WATER DRY WELLhttp://www.reliefforafrica.org

Figure 2 No water, no existence

Fake Solution

The fake or kangaroo solutions civilized on: The poor begging for alms from the rich


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BEGGING FOR ALMS

http://www.reliefforafrica.org

Figure 3 The one who is destined to beg?

True Solutions

Volatile progress by the masses, without opium or carrot Landmark economy, by relating and collaborating with other Nations of the world

Be in-charge of everything (catch fish by yourself)

Power that abides by the rules of law.

Increased accountability

Poverty can shape whole communities for generations. The best strategies for combating its effects andprogressing into a better future must come from within the community itself. Most of the developedNations of the World are found to have great priority for internal security first. Any external aggressionwere easily confronted if not quenched fully.I belief that the residents of Nigeria and other International Communities with their true developmentexperts have the talent and initiative to create real, sustainable change fist on their own. Oftentimes allthey need are the resources and some support network to help their ideas thrive by exploring more in the

discipline towards peace and security. One attains a firm ground for not only local consulting works butglobal as well in different aspects of achieving peace and leave well.In achieving that harmony peace and security, experts will be in position to successfully study the cracksin foreign affairs responsible for the insecurities in Africa, or any other angle the will be explored andblocked from causing regional and global catastrophes.

Conclusion

The best strategies for combating the effects of global instability and progressing into a better future mustcome from within the community itself.Increased accountability, an important element in preventing violence towards noncombatants, can havea deterrent effect in armed conflict and encourages adherence to the international humanitarian law

References

http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S0042-96862007000300010&sc...

International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty. Responsibility to protect: report of theInternational Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty. Ottawa: International DevelopmentResearchCentre; 2001

Jacob Waiswa,http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Waiswa, and http://EzineArticles.com/5997325
http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S0042-96862007000300010&schttp://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S0042-96862007000300010&schttp://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Waiswahttp://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Waiswahttp://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Waiswahttp://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Waiswahttp://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S0042-96862007000300010&sc


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Rhen and Johnson Sirleaf, 2011, In-depth: Our Bodies - Their Battle Ground: Gender-based Violence inConflict Zones, AFRICA-ASIA: War and women's health, IRIN: humanitarian news and analysis (aservice of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian), Affairs Available:http://www.irinnews.org/InDepthMain.aspx?InDepthId=20&ReportId=62825
http://www.irinnews.org/InDepthMain.aspx?InDepthId=20&ReportId=62825http://www.irinnews.org/InDepthMain.aspx?InDepthId=20&ReportId=62825http://www.irinnews.org/InDepthMain.aspx?InDepthId=20&ReportId=62825

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