NIGERIA DEFENCE AND SECURITY HOLDS ONE DAY WORKSHOP, RELEASES COMMUNIQUE

NIGERIA DEFENCE AND SECURITY HOLDS ONE DAY WORKSHOP, RELEASES COMMUNIQUE

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A ONE-DAY WORKSHOP ON THE “REFORMING THE NIGERIA DEFENCE AND SECURITY SECTOR THROUGH STRENGTHENING MECHANISMS FUNDAMENTAL FOR EFFECTIVE OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS”, ORGANIZED BY CIVIL SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CENTRE (CISLAC)/TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL IN NIGERIA (TI-NIGERIA) IN COLLABORATION WITH TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL – DEFENCE AND SECURITY PROJECT (TI-DSP) AT GOLDEN DABIS HOTEL, KEFFI, NASARAWA STATE ON 23RD MAY, 2023.

PREAMBLE:

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)/Transparency International in Nigeria (TI-Nigeria), in collaboration with Transparency International – Defence and Security Project (TI-DSP) and with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, organized a one-day workshop on the theme “Reforming the Nigerian Defence and Security Sector through Strengthening Mechanisms Fundamental for Effective Oversight Functions”. The workshop aimed to initiate a national discourse on defence and security oversight, equipping stakeholders with tools for effective understanding, interrogation, and conduct of oversight activities. It also sought to elicit commitments from relevant institutions towards reforming the defence and security sector. The workshop included technical sessions with presentations on various topics, including: Overview of the Defence and Security Sector in Nigeria; A Comparative Analysis of Transparency and Accountability in Nigeria’s Defence and Security Sector and National Security; The Statutory Mandate of Defence and Security Oversight Bodies, the Challenges of External Oversight, and Information Disclosure. Stakeholders from various institutions, including the Ministry of Defence, Federal House of Representatives, Ministry of Police Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Code of Conduct, Office of the Auditor General, Office of the Accountant General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Human Rights Commission, Civil Society Organizations, and the Media, participated in the workshop. After extensive deliberations during the thematic sessions, the following observations and recommendations were made:

OBSERVATIONS:

Opening Session:

1. The tendency to marginalize women, including in the defence and security sector, was noted.
2. The prevalence of corruption within the defence and security sector was identified as a significant challenge, compounding the existing security issues.
3. The opaque and classified nature of the sector, justified by “national security reasons,” hinders effective oversight.
4. Nigeria’s peace, security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are threatened by persistent violent conflicts arising from traditional and non-traditional security threats.
5. Despite substantial public resources invested in the defence and security sector since the return of democratic governance in 1999, the impact of these investments remains questionable, with ongoing threats to peace and security.

First Session:

1. A stable and peaceful Nigeria is crucial for development, necessitating effective and efficient defence and security institutions.
2. Enhancing the effectiveness and professionalism of the sector requires effective oversight mechanisms, transparency, and accountability.
3. The disparity between the resources expended since 1999, surpassing the expenditure during the civil war, and the tangible results on the ground was highlighted.
4. The challenges faced by the police in dealing with security issues have led to the deployment of the military across the country, yet there are increase in loss of lives and extensive resource allocation.
5. The defence and security sector extends beyond uniformed institutions and personnel, encompassing civilian oversight institutions, specialized intelligence and security institutions, public oversight bodies, justice and rule of law institutions, civil emergency units, and non-state security bodies.
6. Existing oversight mechanisms for the defence and security sector often fail due to incompetence, lack of capacity, moral shortcomings, and collusion among state officials and political office holders. The presence of officials and politicians with corruption cases and questionable character within the system further impedes effective oversight.
7. Factors limiting oversight in the defence and security sector include inadequate funding, lack of capacity, corrupt budgeting and implementation, politicization, negative public image, and overall lack of transparency and accountability. However, the primary challenge lies in the sector’s general lack of capacity in fund management, budgeting, implementation, and the sector’s inherent political nature.

Second Session:

1. Persistent conflicts in Nigeria result from a lack of transparency and accountability in the management of the defence and security budget by leaders.
2. Institutionalized corruption undermines transparency and accountability within the defence and security sector, perpetuating a culture of non-accountability, even among the leadership.
3. Transparency facilitates the timely flow of information, and denying access, as seen in the defence and security sector, contributes to a lack of accountability and corruption.
4. Citizens have the right to request information on public expenditure, as transparency and accountability are human rights issues. Corruption, especially within Nigeria’s defence and security sector, is a violation of people’s rights, a crime against humanity, and potentially genocidal.
5. Constitutional and legal instruments exist to ensure transparency and accountability in the public sector, but the lack of implementation mechanisms is a significant challenge. The primary issue lies not in the laws themselves but in the culture of corruption within society and the defence and security sector.
6. The lack of planning in the budgeting process and implementation contributes to weak civilian control over the defence and security sector.

Third Session:

1. Combating corruption requires addressing welfare concerns and improving the economy to provide security and stability.
2. Corruption persists despite the presence of oversight agencies such as the National Assembly, Judiciary, Auditor-General’s Office, Civil Society, and Ombudsman because the elites have yet to fully embrace the fight against corruption.
3. A culture of silence surrounds human rights abuses within the defence and security sector.
4. Challenges to transparency and accountability in the defence and security sector include the lack of a robust legal framework, limited awareness and capacity, political interference, and resistance to change, among others.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Opening Session:

1. Encourage the active participation of women in the defence and security sector.
2. Seek commitment from stakeholders to engage effectively in improving transparency and accountability within the sector.
3. Call on the military to reverse the trend of destabilization and insecurity, prioritizing Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
4. Emphasize the necessity of external institutions overseeing the defence and security sector in line with democratic principles. Effective oversight will promote efficiency, professionalism, and ultimately enhance security in the country.
5. Urge oversight institutions to enhance their proficiency, expertise, and foster synergy in fulfilling their responsibilities.

First Session:

1. Collaborative efforts are required to combat corruption and ensure transparency and accountability within the defence and security sector.
2. The military must fulfill its role in protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity through diplomatic and deterrence measures.
3. Safeguard the security and safety of state officials and citizens through the seven pillars of human security, including food, economic, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security.
4. Adopt the African Union’s definition of the security sector, encompassing uniformed and non-uniformed personnel, civilians, and civil and oversight institutions.
5. Develop an effective framework for overseeing security votes, which often serve as slush funds.
6. Encourage Nigerians to hold public institutions, the political class, and the defence and security sector accountable.
7. Utilize inherent potentials within the system, such as democratic space and accountability, openness, international obligations, civil society activism, synergy, and civil-military relations.

Second Session:

1. Institutionalize transparency and accountability as a cultural norm to combat corruption in Nigeria, particularly within the defence and security sector.
2. Structure building initiatives around the people to promote a culture of transparency and accountability.
3. Increase civil society groups’ access to defence and security budgets, promote democratic culture in the public sphere, institutionalize the subordination of defence and security institutions to civil authority, and raise public awareness regarding defence and security budgets.
4. Demand transparency and accountability in the defence and security sector, ensuring that citizens fulfill their obligation in this regard.

Third Session:

1. Emphasize the need to make the budgeting process and execution transparent.
2. Review the content of defence and security policy to embed a culture of transparency and accountability in the budgeting process.
3. Establish regular audits and inspections of defence and security institution’s budgeting process, with a focus on local leadership.

Commitments by Stakeholders:

1. National Assembly:

• Commit to transparent and accountable lawmaking, oversight, and representation.
• Sensitize legislators on the importance of overseeing the defence and security sector.
• Advise legislators on monitoring budget allocation and implementation.

2. MDAs:

• ICPC commits to involving staff in the defence and security budget process.
• Police commits to ensuring transparency and accountability in officer recruitment, promotion, and budgeting.
• MOD will promote the use of local content in the defence and security sector through the end-user certificate.
• CCB commits to upholding morality and integrity in the defence and security budget.
• Auditor-General’s Office aims to make defence and security budget information more accessible.

3. CSOs:

• Enhance the “follow the money” approach to track government expenditure and budget allocation to defence and security MDAs.
• Maximize the use of the Freedom of Information Act to monitor projects.
• Engage in advocacy, mobilization, capacity building, and the use of digital tools and technology.
• Conduct research and data analysis.
• Utilize the media as a tool for transparency and accountability.

Signed: