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Editor’s note: Naij.com guest author Dr Tunde Olufon comments on President Buhari’s double-edged decision to dismantle the military checkpoints, and brings forward the arguments why in some states they shouldn’t be so simply rejected.
 Story highlights:
– “The governors still need military presence in their states since Boko Haram is yet to be completely defeated in the northeast and some parts of the North Central geopolitical zones.”
– “The advantages of military checkpoints cannot be underestimated, and they should be employed and dismantled as occasions demand regardless of the inconveniences.”
– “We have reasons to believe that the new government is determined to reverse the trend of insecurity berthing Boko Haram, renew hope in the hopeless, resuscitate the spirit of patriotism and give equal opportunities that would ignite the fire of nationalism in Nigerians.”
A nation-wide jubilation greeted the presidential directive on the military checkpoints dismantling across Nigeria’s entire road network on Monday, June 22, 2015. However, some governors insisted that the volatile areas should be exempted from the blanket ban, and the soldiers should continue with the legitimate and constitutional internal security operations.
READ ALSO: Checkpoints: Re-opening Of Blocked Roads Begin In Jos
With no doubt, the commander-in-chief is sensitive to the citizens’ hardships and pains caused by the checkpoints. At the same time, the governors still need military presence in their states since Boko Haram is yet to be completely defeated in the northeast and some parts of the North Central geopolitical zones.
Military incursion into politics in January 1966 led to almost 30 years of military dictatorship and turned soldiers into an integral part of the Nigerian society.
The Nigerian military presently has six divisions and several battalions spread across the country, which presence has always given the feeling of safety to the populace.
Responsibilities of the Nigerian army include:

• Protecting the borders of Nigeria, its territorial integrity and citizens during internal or external aggression, crisis and environmental disasters.
• Promoting Nigeria’s global interest in peace-keeping missions, operations/initiatives, and supplying humanitarian aid to the regions in need.

The domestic responsibilities of soldiers include but not limited to the following:

1. Aiding civilian population during environmental disasters (storms, floods, earthquakes, landslides, etc.)
2. Constructing local bridges, make-shift shelters in the war-torn areas, assisting in restoration of vital services like electricity, portable water, clearing of blocked roads, searching and rescuing hostages, etc.
3. Rendering support to the police when they couldn’t handle riots or other forms of civil unrest themselves.

It is no secret that Nigerian soldiers have always performed excellently since independence, both at domestic and international levels, and proved to be friendlier than other security officials.
During the last 16 years of the new democratic dispensation, all government activities of hiring and firing have always been implemented “with immediate effect”. This is inheritance of military mentality imbibed subconsciously by the “bloody civilians”.
An African adage states that a weeping person should intuitively maintain stable sight to carry out other chores meaning that tears should not impair the eyesight or sense of reasoning!
The thing is that the government structures and citizens in some regions are still insecure despite military presence. Thus, it should now be intensified more than ever for the needed peace to reign and socioeconomic needs to endure.
The need for heavy security protection cannot be overemphasized. It is almost tantamount to a taboo for insurgents to take over a city. The advantages of military checkpoints also cannot be underestimated, and they should be employed and dismantled as occasions demand regardless of the inconveniences.
Due to security dereliction, despite all the efforts, the following terrorist attacks were perpetrated between 2010 and 2014:

• The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja.
• A Roman Catholic church, Madala, Abuja outskirts.
• The United Nations building, Abuja
• Two bomb blasts at a bus station, Nyanyan, Abuja, between April and May, 2014, respectively.
• Bomb blasts at Abuja Central Area shopping centre, June 2014;
• Coordinated bomb attacks on This Day newspaper offices in Abuja and Kaduna, June 2014.

In 2010, when the first bomb blasts hit the Eagle Square vicinity during the celebration of 50^th anniversary of independence and the Mogadishu military cantonment in Abuja, the city was virtually “locked up” with military checkpoints.
However, despite all security precautions, the terrorists made the way to the territory proving all the measures inconsequential. Why should the poor masses spend precious hours on the road every day only if the insurgents still have bombs detonated in their habitations?
Recently, the military checkpoints have been replaced with the highway patrol vehicles manned by the well-trained police officers across the country.
What does it entail to handle the internal security of a country like Nigeria that is being torn by civil unrests/insurgency/terrorism?
The unwillingness of the past administrations to give equal rights and opportunities to all citizens as entrenched in the Constitution has created rancour between more than 250 ethnic groups. If not quickly redressed, deeply-rooted anger could metamorphose into civil disturbances, insurrection, insurgency or full-blown terrorism that would demand greater security tactics to handle!
Internal security (IS) operations primarily involve restoration and maintenance of law and order in the face of civil disturbances and disobedience through the application of minimum force. Effective IS operations should deal with minor or major civil disorders due to political reasons that could lead to revolts or rebellions, and forestall the consequences of economic and infrastructural breakdown.
Now the Nigeria Police Force has been charged with the onerous responsibility of maintaining law and order, protecting life and property, preventing crimes and prosecuting offenders. How is it supposed to function effectively in 33 states without the military support?
READ ALSO: IGP Arase Says Police Will Build Its Checkpoints
We believe the police officers are adequately trained for such challenges of internal security with emphasis on the patriotic zeal, integrity and righteous leadership. Now, when the state-of-the-art patrol vehicles equipped with high-technology communication devices and sophisticated modern equipment are in place, brilliant performance should be envisaged.
Cooperation with the citizens in respect of crime prevention and detection must be paid enough attention in order to ensure steady and continuous success of all kinds of IS operations.
Positive results should be recorded through well-coordinated surveillance and application of stop-and-search patrol technology.
The professional training of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) should also be brought to fore since its primary function is to intervene and quell internal disturbances like workers’ or students’ protests.
In other climes, the “third force”, similar to Nigeria’s PMF, is usually established to address internal security issues like racial or tribal rivalry, religious intolerance, maladministration and corruption, famine and poverty, lack of agricultural, educational and social planning, socio-economic grievances, ideological and political differences, student unionism exuberances, pay differential, and industrial upheavals. The majority of citizens in the developing countries are poorly educated and indifferent to the problems outside their daily chores and environment.
A downtrodden and illiterate citizen who could not understand the main reasons for his predicament in life, his misery and poverty, is prone to become an easy prey for politicians, enemies of the state or saboteurs eager to foment trouble in the polity.
We have reasons to believe that the new government is determined to reverse the trend of insecurity berthing Boko Haram, renew hope in the hopeless, resuscitate the spirit of patriotism and give equal opportunities that would ignite the fire of nationalism in Nigerians.
The Word of Wisdom says: “A stitch in time saves nine.”
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