AN EVALUATION OF THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL SECURITY VIS A VIS INTERNATIONAL LAW IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE

Abstract

National Security is the aggregation of the security interest of all individuals, communities, ethnic groups, political entities and institutions in the territory of Nigeria. As norms associated with democracy are taking their roots, Nigeria’s security outlook remains uncertain. In almost all the geographical areas of the country, there is one form of security challenge or the other. There is militancy in the Niger Delta, in the far North of Borno State, there is Boko Haram, in the middle Belt, there is violence between Christians and Moslems and in many other places it is the Fulani herdsmen. There is need to formulate policies and strategies to eliminate these threats to lives and properties. The Nigerian government should employ all elements of national might to ensure physical security, build individual and collective property, cause national development and promote Nigeria’s influence in regional, continental and international affairs. These must be carried out under the municipal and international laws. Municipal law is the internal law of a nation. They include the ordinance and other laws applicable within a city, town or other local government entity. International law on the other is the legal principles governing the relationship between nations, more modernly the law of international relations embracing not only nations but also such participants as international organizations, multinational corporations, nongovernmental organizations and even individuals (such as those who invoke their human rights or commit war crimes). This paper critically evaluates Nigeria’s national security amidst democratic norms which were found to be changing nature of international security and future challenges of international security; to seeing whether designing grand strategy and plan can provide succor. With doctrinal methodology adopted, the finding of this paper is that the present law cum strategy are inefficient and ineffective due to lack of sophisticated technologies and equipment used in fighting crimes in Nigeria. There is need to adopt those modern technologies and equipment being used by the advanced countries of United States of America, North Korea and Russia.