BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
Participants at the Defence and Security Anti-corruption training in Lagos recently.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has blamed security breaches on systemic corruption, and inactive transparency and accountability in the Defence and Security sector.
This formed part of the discuss at the end of a two-day Defence and Security Anti-corruption training organised by CISLAC in collaboration with Transparency International in Nigeria (TI-Nigeria).
The event, which held in Lagos on January 10 to 11, 2024, was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
It was aimed at strengthening the capacity of civil society to advocate and conduct state and national engagements toward an accountable, responsive, and efficient management of the defence and security sector.
The communique was jointly signed by CISLAC and representatives of Vanguard Newspaper, Chioma Obinna; SiidAfrican Initiatives for Youth Development, Ganiu Olamilakan Lawal; Access to Learning and School Initiative, Modupe Asama; and Media Career Development Network, Emmanuel Timi Ajayi.
Executive Director of CISLAC/TI-Nigeria, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) said that while the State is a product of social contract between the government and the governed, the former has hitherto failed in its primary responsibilities in protecting lives and property of the citizens,
He listed the major drivers of corruption in the sector as excessive secrecy in procurement process and spending; inter-agency rivalry; inflated budget-line items, phantom contracts; delayed appropriation process, and weak oversight activities.
Musa stated that defence corruption is motivated by high value contracts, secrecy, political connections and technicalities.
"Inactive external oversight of the defence and security budget and procurement system backpedals counterterrorism operations; empowered insurgency and discouraged front-line troops; endangered security of lives and property; threatened democratic governance mechanisms; limited operational efficiency; lowered morale and regard for the defence institutions," he said.
The executive director lamented that civil society and media oversight of the sector is hampered by continuous threats and intimidations targeted at actors, programmes and activities.
To this end, the participants recommended the strengthening of recruitment process into the sector to prevent infiltration of unscrupulous elements for better performance, management and overall efficiency.
Also, strengthening recruitment process into the defence and security sector to prevent infiltration of unscrupulous elements for better performance, management and overall efficiency.
They sought the immediate amendment of the relevant provisions in Freedom of Information Act including Section 11(1) to remove contradictory provisions hampering civilian oversight of the sector, while enhancing transparency and accountability in procurement process.
The participants insisted that erring officers within the sector should be adequately sanctioned to strengthen internal discipline and enhance external oversight.
This is in addition to removing and harmonising contradictory hurdles to information disclosure like Official Secret Act, LFN 2004, Section 97 of the Criminal Code Act, Section 15(2) of the Procurement Act, as well as invalidating application of some key provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.
They requested that recruitment, promotion and deployment in the sector should be based on merit, adding that impactful personnel oversight would protect systemic fairness, equity and diversity.
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