The concept of strategic thinking and the ability to evolve a strategic doctrine be it in the field of foreign affairs, diplomacy, international relations and global and domestic security does not come easy, no little wonder that to belong to the elite and highly astute league of strategic thinkers who configure the linkage between seemingly unrelated events in order to crystallize a strategic doctrine that would guide political, economic, industrial, diplomatic and military/cum security action is indeed a herculean feat. Only a select few among the America Secretaries of State like John Foster Dulles, Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew, Brezezinski, Madeleine Albright and Jeanne Kirkpatrick (Former US Ambassador to the U.N) belong to the erudite league of strategic thinkers that innovatively crafted a diplomatic master plan that formed a blueprint for U.S bilateral and multi-lateral interventions and activities in the cold war and post cold war era.
In the Nigerian military/security matrix, one deeply perceptive, imaginative and at the same time realistic personality that has without doubt emerged as a pivotal geopolitical and globally renowned strategic thinker and intellectually astute doctrinaire it no less a person than Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau, a much decorated former Chief or Army staff and the Honorable Minister of Interior. Indeed a savvy General Dambazzau brought his awesome credentials as a strategic thinker to bear during his eventful tenure as Chief of Army Staff (2009 – 2012) when the Niger Delta militant insurgency was at it’s decisive peak with an array of armed groups claiming to be fighting for control of the region resources laying siege to countless oil and gas facilities by way of bombings, kidnapping or workers and destruction of oil pipelines as well as hijacking of ships, boats & barges on the various water ways crisis- crossing the region. Applying the strategic doctrine principle, to the Niger Delta crisis, General Dambazzau foresaw that rather than applying the full blown military option, there was a need to adopt a carrot and stick strategy that would wean the more conciliatory militant groups from the hard line ones who were not interested in peace at all. In this regard, General Abdulrahman Dambazzau evolved the Niger Delta amnesty principle which he presented to then President Umaru Yar’Adua, who quickly embraced its originality and rationality thus leading to the birth of the famous Niger Delta amnesty programme. However, General Dambazzau, the military tactician was not done yet as many other militants were either wavering or continued to launch attacks against both military personnel, oil worker or oil facilities in the region and there was no way this lawless situation could be allowed to fester. In 2009, the errant militants faced the full weight and wrath of the awesome Nigeria military as a series of counter strikes and decisive assaults on their militarized camps saw them either neutralized, surrendering or scampering for safety. In fact “General” Ogun, notorious for illegal bunkering activities in Delta state was decimated via a Nigeria air force counter insurgency strike that formed part of General Dambazzau’s carrot and stick doctrine that brought lasting peace to the Niger Delta for some years to come. Having burnished his positively intimidating credentials as a strategic thinker of note and worth, it is no small wonder that the foresighted general as Honourable Minister of Interior would further partner with institutions, personalities and policies dedicated to the improvement and advancement of public safety and security in all its ramifications. In this regard, worthy of mention is the Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister, Hon. Aliyu Ibrahim Gebi, who has played a yeoman’s role in the formulation and implementation of the strategic action plan geared towards nipping perceived security threats and breaches in the bud before they pose irreparable danger to the lives and property of the unwary citizenry. Indeed Hon. Aliyu Gebi has been commended for cutting excessive bureaucratic red tape and officialdom in his brisk and purposeful co-ordination of the various security formations in the Interior Ministry as he is renowned for approaching issues and challenges frontally, asking pertinent questions while demanding cogent answers from those charged with carrying out job specific assignments. No stranger to internal security arrangements and policies, an action-oriented Hon. Aliyu Gebi chaired the House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security in the 7th National Assembly (2011-2015) when he undertook far-reaching steps towards raising the security threshold of the apex legislature to the next level with increased co-operation between the various security agencies, establishing a joint task force to co-ordinate intelligence gathering, information collation and the sharing of data, intelligence, information, tips etc for and an enhanced security cordon within and around the vast NASS complex. Bringing his considerable internal security acumen and experience to bear in the Ministry of Interior’s public safety and security desiderata has indeed paid off given the increased confidence and collaboration between the security agencies and their assets in the ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-intelligence offensive mandated by the Honourable Minister of Interior, General Abdulraham Dambazzau.
Thus in partnership with the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), the Ministry of Interior organized a two day Strategic Leaders Seminar on Public Safety and Security; Interagency Co-ordination and Co-operation which had in attendance, the Honourable Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahaman Dambazzau, the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, the U.S Ambassador, Amb Stuart Symington, the Director of ACSS, MS Almquist Knopf; Dr. Raymond Gilpin Academic Dean, ACSS; Comptroller Generals of Immigration, Civil Defence, Prisons and Fire Service; AVM Mohammed Ndetsu Umar, Sen John Shagaya; Dr. Luka Deng Knol and Dr. Emile Ouedraogo, all of ACSS faculty among other notable dignitaries. In his key note address the amiable Minister of Interior observed that ‘this seminar will no doubt open vitas of opportunities for the Nigeria safety and security agencies including the defence institutions and other stakeholders to exchange ideas. It will also bring together their foreign counterparts and experts for a healthy, critical and progressive interaction on strategies, innovations and best practices needed to confront securities challenges in Nigeria. May I at this juncture, inform you that few weeks ago, a committee charged with the mandate of producing a draft national policy on public safety and security submitted it report. The thrust of the policy is to provide synergy amongst the various agencies through proper co-ordination and effective collaboration as well as appropriate delineation of roles in safety and security management. In the same vein, we are equally tackling the issue of the pastoralist and sedentary farmer’s conflicts which has not only become a serious menace and distraction of high magnitude but threatening to undermine our peaceful co-existence, especially in the Niger-Benue through. To this end, a few weeks ago, I inaugurated a technical committee to come up with a workable framework on how to convoke an all-inclusive stakeholders conference with a view to finding a lasting solution to the conflicts. Ladies and gentlemen these efforts show clearly, the collective will and resolve of this present administration in dealing frontally with the challenges of public safety and security’ – a prescient General Abdulrahman Dambazzau concluded.
-Mba wrote in from Lagos