Civil Society Activists Proffer Strategies Of Achieving Mutual  Partnership With Military

Civil Society Organisations (CSO) have proffered some strategies targeted at enhancing mutual relationship with the military in a bid towards facilitating intelligence gathering in tackling insecurity nationwide.

The Chief Executive Officer of HEDDA’s Humanitarian Assistance Center, Hope Ayabina, set the stage while speaking at a two-day RoundTable on “Asymmetrical National Security challenges, The Army and National Development”, organized by the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in partnership with Development Specs Academy, in Abuja, between June 24 -25, 2024.

While canvassing that the Military should take steps to gain the confidence of the people, she wondered what led to the erosion of trust and confidence the civil populace earlier had on the military.

She said: “We are glad to lend our voice to provide suggestions on military partnership for intelligence gathering with Non Governmental Organizations and Community Based organizations.

“However, to achieve this the military has to get our trust back. They need to promise us that when we share intelligence reports, we and our family members will be protected. “

Her suggestions to the military include: “Get involved with the activities of the Non Governmental Organisations and Community Based Organisations in their various communities; teach them a skill or two- security skills preferably-  that in itself, can be a tool for intelligence gathering.

“You can consider joint development projects by working with Civil Service Organizations to provide development projects in communities. I believe the army has an engineering division, with well trained personnel who can help to build wells and boreholes or bridges. I understand a country like Mauritania has used these development strategies to win support of the communities in the fight against AQIM.

“Through the NGOs, the military can also Introduce and sponsor events that attract the community leaders, youth groups, women groups, religious leaders etc

“While at that, you will learn the mannerisms of the community members and understand the methods most appropriate for intelligence gathering.

“And to make reasonable progress, we suggest the military organize Annual or quarterly meetings and retreats with their partner NGOs and CBOs share progress reports, review and update intelligence gathering strategies. 

She concluded with a quote “To have friends, one must be friendly.”

“The Nigerian military can do more by showing themselves trustworthy to
Nigerians to achieve productive partnerships” Ayabina concludes

While providing further insight into how the military can enhance partnership with non governmental organisations, Margaret Agbo, Head of Training and Legal Services of Development Specs Academy noted that , “To collect information that would be useful in addressing security is what we call intelligence gathering. Information collected in this way gives insights into the prevailing social, political, and economic conditions that precipitate one problem or the other.

She proceeded to identify, “key strategies and methods that could be adopted in effective grassroots intelligence gathering

According Agbo’s presentation, these strategies include: “Community Engagement, in order to establish relationships and build trust;

“Regular engagements with various levels of the local leadership, influencers and elders, to gain deep insights into various aspects of what holds the community together;

“Direct, non-participatory observation of community life and activities, social interactions during festivities and individual behaviour in different circumstances; interactions, and behaviors;

“The conduct of surveys and interviews with wide cross sections of the community, to collect specific information about community social pressures, needs, opinions, and experiences;

Agbo also highlighed the need to organize focus group discussions, for in depth exploration of diverse perspectives on existing, or emerging, problems.

She said further:”Focus on specific topics such as the people’s impressions about military and security operations in their area, communal clashes, healthcare delivery, religious tension, education, security, or economic conditions;

“The use of social media and online platforms to elicit responses that give real-time information, to enable stakeholders gauge one public phenomenon or the other;

“Use mobile APPs to obtain survey data in areas with high mobile phone penetration.

“Collaborative engagements with Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) and Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) and other local social platforms for greater penetration of the grassroots.”