The recent suicide attacks in Gwoza, Borno State, which claimed 32 lives and left many with varied degrees of injuries, have reignited the calls for the deployment of technology in combating the rising cases of insecurity in the country.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reports that by 2020, insurgency had already claimed over 350,000 lives and displaced millions within Nigeria.
Senate’s Call to Action
On Wednesday, July 3, the Senate called on the federal government to bolster its conventional methods of tackling the insurgency in the country with technology and scientific methods.
The Senators contend that it’s only the combination of these methods that could end the menace. The motion calling for the urgent need to address the uptick in insecurity was moved by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Ali Ndume. Titled “Suicide Attacks in Gwoza, Borno State: The Urgency to Stem the Tide of This Ugly Menace,” Ndume prayed the FG to provide the military with more funds to procure modern technology that will aid their fight against insurgents.
Expert Opinions
Security experts have backed the use of modern technologies in combating the security challenges in the northern region of the country. A Professor of Remote Sensing and GeoInformatics and Director Centre for Space Research and Application (CESRA) at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Joseph Akinyede, urged the government to adopt modern technologies, particularly Remote Sensing Technology (RST) in tackling insecurity. “The use of images/data from Satellites, Global Navigational Satellite Systems (Global Positioning System (GPS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones, communication infrastructures, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will aid the armed forces in the fighting bandits and other terrorist groups that have been killing thousands of Nigerians and destroying many homes over the year.”
Urgent call by Senators
Similarly, Sen. Mohammed Monguno, representing Borno-North, who expressed shock at the resurgence of suicide bombings in the country after it stemmed years ago, equally urged the government to adopt modern technology, which he described as the only solution to the security challenges. “The only panacea will be the deployment of technology to contain the situation,” he stated.
Suggesting a technology the armed forces can use in their fight against bandits and other daredevil groups, Sen. Ahmad Lawan (Yobe-North) urged the federal government to budget more funds for the military for the procurement of drones. “Drones can be successfully deployed to fight banditry and other crimes. We must really fund our armed forces to do more of what they have been doing already,” the former senate president said.
Allegations of Funds Diversion
Year after year, the federal government budgets billions of naira for the armed forces to procure weapons to fight insurgency. However, there have been allegations that the reason why insecurity has continued to persist is because some military heads siphon and divert the funds for another use. There have also been allegations that some security heads abet the menace so that they can continue to receive funds from the government. Senator Adams Oshiomhole alleged that former service chiefs diverted funds meant for the military, using them to build universities instead of investing in modern technology and equipment.
A Comprehensive Approach
While technology can be a game-changer in combating insurgency, it is crucial to recognize that it is only one part of a comprehensive solution. Senator Victor Umeh emphasized the need for quality education and community reorientation to address the root causes of insurgency. “A young person who has been indoctrinated with the belief that they can go to heaven by killing people can only be rescued by first changing their mindset. What is important is to change the mindset of the people. This means that whether we deploy technology or use soldiers, suicide bombing will continue if the mindset remains the same. “Therefore, let’s educate the people, especially the young people. A total reorientation for our young people is needed here,” he said.
While the Federal Government has been urged to heed the Senate’s call to action and invest in modern technology to aid the military in their fight against insurgents, experts have also called on the government to prioritize transparency and accountability in the use of funds allocated to the military.
They FG are also advised to address the root causes of insurgency through quality education and community reorientation.
