MANAGING THE PERVASIVE INSECURITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY NIGERIA: THE PUBLIC RELATIONS APPROACH

Jalingo Journal of Peace Science and Conflict Management Volume 1, Number 2: December, 2021 ISSN 2805-4075 99 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17928796 MANAGING THE PERVASIVE INSECURITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY NIGERIA: THE PUBLIC RELATIONS APPROACH John Moses Maikomo, Department of Political Science and International Relations Taraba State University, Jalingo. & Shadrach Idi, Department of Public Relations and Advertising, Taraba State University, Jalingo. Abstract Nigeria is bedeviled by numerous security challenges that have continue to undermine development of the country. Government has adopted several approaches including coercion, but the problem continues. This paper is based on the premise that public relations strategies can be useful in managing the problem. Public Relations is a deliberate planned and sustain efforts to create mutual and beneficial relationship between two entities. The study was anchored on Jefkin‘s Transfer Model and used qualitative research approach-based content analytical technique. The study argued that public relations strategies are multifaceted but key elements that can be integrated in managing insecurity in Nigeria include the use of early warning system, community relations, corporate social responsibility, negotiation, mediation, continuous communication, international relations, research and action. The study concludes that effective utilization of public relations in the management of insecurity in Nigeria requires the deployment of professional PR personnel. Thus, the study has implication on expert to come up with PR models for managing key security issues in the country. Keywords: Public Relations, Insecurity Nigeria, Managing, 21st cenury Introduction Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has been enmeshed in various security challenges. However, the situation has worsened and become extremely worrisome in the Fourth Republic starting from in 1999. After a long experience of military dictatorship, the transition to civil democratic rule in 1999 was greeted with popular enthusiasm and high expectation for freedom from danger to life and property, and the hope for an atmosphere conducive for Nigerians to pursue their legitimate interests (Mijah, 2007). However, as Nweke (2008) observed the excitement and euphoria, which accompanied the transition to democracy in Nigeria, have been replaced by frustrations and concerns about the failure of government to guarantee adequate security in the country. Nweke further states thus: … Since May 1999, governments at various levels in the country have failed dismally to ensure security. This fact can be seen in the various political violence and assassinations, electoral violence, wanton ethnic, communal and Jalingo Journal of Peace Science and Conflict Management Volume 1, Number 2: December, 2021 ISSN 2805-4075 100 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17928796 religious conflicts, sectarian violence, Niger-Delta crisis, kidnapping, armed robbery, bomb blasts etc, that have continued to rock the Nigerian society (p. 102). Scholars (Itumo, Udeuhele, Aro, 2017; Okoli & Ugwu, 2014 etc) captured the pattern of spatial distribution of conflicts and criminality across the different geo-political zones in the Fourth Republic Nigeria. According to them, the Boko Haram insurgency is having its toll on the Northeast; the Northwest is being threatened by the incidence of banditry as exemplified in the rising wave of cattle rustling and kidnapping. The north central is struggling with herdsmen attacks and a wave of ethno-religious and ethno-communal conflagrations (Aghedo & Osumah, 2014). The Southeast zone has been troubled by activities of agitators such as the Indigenous People of Biafra as well as activities of armed robbers and kidnappers; the South-West is continually face with threat resulting from the activities of violet cult groups, armed robbers and kidnappers while the South-South region must deal with activities of Niger delta militants and kidnappers. The spatial distribution of criminalities across the nation clearly shows that no state in the country is void of security threats. The Global Terrorism Index 2020 adjudged Nigeria as the most terrorized nation in Africa and second in the world (TVC, 10th November 2020). The consequences of insecurity in Nigeria include endless loss of lives, destruction of properties worth billions of naira and humanitarian crisis across the nation as many people fled their homes to Internally Displaced Persons‘ Camps (IDPs) to take refuge. Furthermore, the situation has discouraged economic activities as both local and foreign investors shy away from investing in the country due to fear of attacks and subsequently loss of their resources and capital. In addition, huge public resources which could be used for developmental projects are now channeled into tackling insecurity, leaving the nation with poor infrastructures. Successive governments in the fourth republic Nigeria have embarked on various strategies which include the criminalization of terrorism by passing the Anti-Terrorism Act in 2011, enhancement of surveillance, heightening of physical security measures around the country, strengthening of security agencies through the provision of security facilities among others. Despite these efforts, the level of insecurity in the country is still high; therefore, many called for better approaches. Aliede (2016) categorically states that, it is a high time other proactive, credible and positive alternative solutions be sought toward tackling insecurity in Nigeria. One of the ways communication scholars believed can serve as a panacea to managing conflict and by extension insecurity is public relations (Edafejirhaye & Alao, 2019). Public relations (PR) according to the World Assembly of PR practitioners as cited by Edafejirhaye and Alao (2019, p. 2) is the ―art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting its consequences, counseling organization leaders, and implementing planned programmes of action which will serve both the organization and the public interests‖. It Jalingo Journal of Peace Science and Conflict Management Volume 1, Number 2: December, 2021 ISSN 2805-4075 101 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17928796 (Public Relations) is often seen as the management function which creates and maintains mutual relationship within an organization. However, Aliede (2016) stressed that, the practice of Public Relations have gone beyond organizational walls to the management of crisis and insecurity in the entire society. Despite the all-encompassing feature of Public relations (PR) which makes in suitable for the management of security challenges at macro or societal level, a plethora of existing studies (Edafejirhaye & Alao, 2019) mainly focus on PR practices in the management of organizational conflict, organizational reputation or image and serving as marketing tool. Only few studies gave attention to the application of PR in the management of insecurity at national level. In Nigeria in particular, most of such studies focused on few selected security issues such as communal/religious clashes, Boko Haram and Niger Delta crisis (Enyigwe, Ugwuanyi & Odigbo, 2012, Aliede, 2016; Igben, 2009 etc). The studies have no doubt contributed to the frontiers of knowledge on the subject matter but were limited considering the fact that insecurity challenges in Nigeria are wide and there is rarely only one way to solving every security problem. It has therefore become expedient to document PR approaches suitable for the management of the general insecurity challenges in Nigeria. This observation motivated the conduct for the present study. Overview of Major Insecurity Challenges in the 21st Century Nigeria The 21st century Nigeria has recorded many security challenges. One of the major security challenges is Boko Haram Terrorism. The Boko Haram is militant Islamist group that claimed an opposition to western education and seeks to impose Sharia law or its radical interpretation of Islam in Nigeria (Dunia, 2010). The group was founded in 2002 in Maiduguri by Utaz Mohammed Yusuf who was killed in 2009 by the security agents. The group is responsible for the killing and kidnapping of many and destruction of properties such as government structures and places of worship. Their mode of attacks includes suicide bombings, ambushing security and motorists as well as attacking communities with firearms. Another security challenge common in the fourth republic is the Herders-Farmers Clashes. Though, the violent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and local farmers in Nigeria are not a new phenomenon, it has escalated in the fourth republic leading to deaths of many and destruction of farms and displacement of many. The north central region with Benue, Plateau and Nassarawa State has been the greatest victims of these clashes (Fajonyomi, Fatile & Ejalonibu, 2016). Niger Delta agitation is another security challenge. The specific agitations of the people of the Niger Delta was problem of environmental degradation, poverty, unemployment, lack of basic amenities amidst the fact that the region produces the entire crude oil which is the fulcrum of Nigerian‘s economic Nwagboso (2012) observed that the failure of the government, to address the aforementioned problems resulted in the spawning of ethnic militias which engaged in oil pipe vandalization, taking foreign expatriate hostage among other wave of insecurity that beleaguered the south-south region. Clashes between militants and security in the past had led to death of many people on both sides and disrupted oil exploration. The Federal Government under the leadership of the late President Umaru Jalingo Journal of Peace Science and Conflict Management Volume 1, Number 2: December, 2021 ISSN 2805-4075 102 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17928796 Yar‘Adua used a mixture of carrot-and-stick with the introduction of Amnesty and unconditional pardon to militants in the region, a phenomenon that significantly helped in managing the problem. Another issue is ethno-religious clashes. Nigeria is a country with an aggregation of several ethnic groups merged by colonialists. Since independence, the situation in Nigeria has been fraught with ethnic politics whereby the elite from different ethnic groups schemed to attract as many federal resources to their regions as possible, neglecting issues that could have united the country (Ikechukwu, 2012). Thus, it has always been difficult for successive leaders to effectively manage the ethnic cleavages in a manner that all will be carry alone and give allegiance to one indivisible country. This phenomenon gains an increasing stronghold on the democratization process in Nigeria since 1999. Since 1999, the country has experienced chronic inter-ethnic clashes across the country, involving ethnic and religious groups (Matfess, 2016). Separatists‘ movement is another security challenge of the fourth republic. The desire for independent state is close to the heart of many groups in Nigeria especially in the south. In the fourth republic, several groups such as the Movement for the Actualization of the State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra emerged and have continued to be a threat to security. The group members had on several occasions engaged the security agencies in gunshot leading to death on both sides including many innocent persons. Another significant security challenge of Fourth Republic Nigeria is Political assassinations and attacks. Igbafe and Offiong (2007) opined that that, many thought that with the inception of democratic governance these devious and mindless killings would stop. But this has been the antithesis. Igbafe and Offiong opine that, the Fourth Republic alone accounts for the highest cases of political assassinations in history. Elections are often characterized by violence, such as use of thugs, which have led to death of many citizens including top government officials and prominent politicians were murdered in the process. Some notable deaths were the then Minister of Justice, Late Chief Bola Ige and prominent national politician, Chief Alfred Riwane, Marshal Harry and Chief Aminasaori Dokubo among others (Edemodu, 2002). Furthermore, Kidnapping and Banditry have assumed alarming dimension. According to Hiscox Group (2001), Nigeria is ranking the 6th highest recorded kidnapping cases in the world. Today, kidnapping for ransom is more common in the entire nation. The spread of kidnapping activities in most parts of the country has created crime waves that have affected Nigerian National Security services at the National, State and Local Government Levels (Thom-Otuya, 2010). Unlike kidnapping, banditry is fast becoming the major trend in northwest states such as Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna and the north central states like Nassarawa, Niger and some part of the Federal Capital Territory. Insecurity highlights in the fourth republic that is worth mentioning here is Covid-19, which the first case in Nigeria was confirmed on 27 February 2020 from a 44-year-old Italian citizen who returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos (John and Shadrack, 2021, p.3). The multidimensional impact of Covid-19 in Nigeria can be viewed from political, economic, societal, educational, cultural, communication, psychological, and environmental considerations, the results of the events of the pandemic were devastating and profound (John, Tordue, and Maria, 2021, p.23-24). Jalingo Journal of Peace Science and Conflict Management Volume 1, Number 2: December, 2021 ISSN 2805-4075 103 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17928796 In a nutshell, some of the contending security issues challenging the Nigerian state according to John (2018, p. 44-50), includes but not limited to Boko Haram insurgency, increasing calls for succession, electoral violence, political corruption, Niger-Delta militancy, energy poverty, foreign exchange volatility, ethno-religious violence, population explosion, small arms and light weapon proliferation, poverty, human right violation, increasing crime (violent and organized crime), epidemics, flooding, environmental pollution among others. Therefore, the perception of the state of security in Nigeria being at its lowest point ever, is formed by the pervasive insecurity suffocating the country as indicated by contending and enduring security challenges that has reduced the status of the Nigerian state from the so call ‗‗giant of Africa‘‘ to that of ‗‗giant bull without a horn‘‘ to adequately manage its own internal hydrating monsters (John, 2018, p. 41). Understanding Public Relations Although public relations has been conceived to involve a number of responsibilities, it has now include emerging, strategic and creative discipline driven by the frames of nontraditional communication as a means of helping the process of decision making and reputation management (Gordon, 2011, p.5). Various experts and professional bodies have tried to define Public Relations; interestingly most of the definitions point to one direction, hence, it is always difficult to pick a working definition rather carry various definitions in the cause of explaining issues or point. The first World Assembly of Public Relations Associations, held in Mexico City, in August 1978 as cited in Nwosu (1996) defined it as the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organizational leaders, and implementing planned programs of action, which will serve both the organization and the public interest. The Chartered Institute of Public Relations, (CIPR) sees Public Relations (PR) as a deliberate, planned and sustained the effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its public. The Public Relations News of New York quoted in (Okafor, 2002) conceptualized public Relations as the management function that evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual or organization with the public interest, and plans and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance. In an elaborate view, Harlow, (Black 1989, p. 4) defined Public Relations as: …a distinctive management function which helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance and cooperation between organization and its publics; involves the management of problems or issues, helps management to keep informed on and responsive to opinions, defines and emphasizes the responsibility of management to serve the Public interest; helps management keep abreast of and effectively utilize change, serving as an early warning system to help anticipate trends; and uses research and sound ethical communication techniques as its principal tools. The above definitions were premised on the fact that public relations is an organizational management function, which uses the attributes of management (e.g., planning, collaborative decision making, and research) to foster the organization's ability to build mutually beneficial relationships on which the corporate vision and mission depend (Grunig & Hunt, 2001). However, Obinna and Shadrach (2020) argued that public relations is Jalingo Journal of Peace Science and Conflict Management Volume 1, Number 2: December, 2021 ISSN 2805-4075 104 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17928796 not a luxury reserved for large corporate organizations, but it is a practice every institution including government can and should adopt to ensure success of its activities. This is so because as Anyamikegh (2009, p. 199), ―the effect of public relations could be felt in all spheres of human endeavors, as it involves efforts to convince, win and retain support for ideas, products and services. This is suitable in governmental activities because government exists within the people and for the people, ensuring mutual understanding and support between the government and the people is a sine qua non for healthy, secure and prosperous society. It light of the above, Black (2011) defines public relations as the art of achieving harmony in the society while Flippo (1983) asserts that, public relations is all about shaping and implementing policies of mediation among social, political and economic interests. It is instructive to state at this point that contrary to some views, public relations is not propaganda, advertising, publicity or any whitewash practices by officials of government and organizations to sell their products and ideas or cover their failures but it is an ethical communication practices that seeks to influence people‘s attitudes, opinions, beliefs, interests and behaviors in a given or desired direction as well as building lasting credibility and reputation for individuals and corporate entities that include profit or non-profit organizations and even nations, states, local governments or communities (Nwosu and Uffoh, 2005). Theoretical Underpinning The Transfer Process model of Public Relations is adopted as the theoretical framework for this study. The Transfer Process Model was propounded by Frank Jefkins. The model explains how public relations tools can be apply towards changing hostility among target publics to sympathy so as to be in a better position to convert prejudice into acceptance, develop interest when there is apathy and then, be able to communicate effectively to achieve knowledge where there is ignorance ( Jefkin, 2006; Oluwasola, 2016). According to Nweke (2001), the model is an antidote against some negative developments in organizations and which by extension government. The foregoing indicates that that Jefkins‘ public relations transfer process model can be used to win the goodwill of the public so as to reduce crisis in not just an organization but the entire society. Through effective application public relations strategies government through its various agencies can convert the four negative attitudes of the public into four positive attitudes – ignorance to knowledge, hostility to sympathy, prejudice to acceptance, apathy to interest. The model is considered relevant to this study in that, insecurity in Nigeria and in particular in the fourth Republic is cause ignorance, many youths especially Boko Haram terrorists, IPOB members, kidnappers etc. were majorly brainwashed into joining gang groups to cause hostility without knowing and thinking of the implication. Additionally, growing prejudice or intolerance among various divides such as religious, ethnic and political groups is responsible for apathy movement or agitations as exemplify by MASSOB, IPOB and the Niger Delta militant. Based on the above, the transfer process model comes in handy in tackling security challenges in the country. The suitability of the theory to this discourse lies in the believe that in our search for peace and security in Nigeria, some persuasive and diplomatic mechanisms is needed to change ignorance to knowledge of the dangers of criminalities, to win the Jalingo Journal of Peace Science and Conflict Management Volume 1, Number 2: December, 2021 ISSN 2805-4075 105 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17928796 sympathy of criminals such as terrorists, militants and bandits to shun hostility and accept peace, to change the perception of agitators (apathy) like IPOB to develop interest in one indivisible Nigeria. Research Method The study is qualitative in nature using the descriptive research design. Therefore, data employed for the study were gathered from secondary sources particularly, journals, relevant books on the subject matter, media reports, official documents, conferences papers, academic writing projects such as seminar papers and theses and dissertations on the subject matter. These sources were access both on the internet and offline libraries. Furthermore, the study utilized content analytical technique for the analysis of data. In so doing, the information employed for analysis in the study were carefully extracted from logical chains of evidence from the various sources to give perspective on the subject matter and draw conclusions based on the thrust of the investigation. Synthesizing Key Public Relations Elements for effective Management of Insecurity in Nigeria Public relations strategies are numerous which make the practice suitable for managing crisis in any field and society. In managing insecurity in the Fourth Republic Nigeria, the following public relations elements and approaches are considered suitable for managing insecurity in Nigeria. Early Warning Approach: It is commonly said, ―prevention is better that cure‖, this is more evident in public Relations practice. In his submissions, Rex Harlow reveals that public relations serve as an early warning system. This implies that in managing insecurity in Nigeria, the first effort should be geared toward prevention much as possible. In this regard, government and all stakeholders need to be proactive rather than reactive in handling matters of security in the country. Public Relations is majorly about changing attitudes of the target public, hence, there is need for government and stakeholders in Nigeria to put much effort in sensitizing and educating youth from onset on the dangers of crimes and need to avoid same. This can be actualize through behaviour change communication that goes beyond television and radio jingles and public service advertisement to a more elaborate early warning system that uses multi-media approaches where both traditional communication systems and conventional media are integrated to persuasively teach Nigerians from early stage the dangers of engaging in militancy, terrorism and separatists movement among others. According to Ozoh (2005) early warning efforts required sufficient communication components, which must not only be comprehensive, but also professionally conceived, planned, packaged and implemented. Against this backdrop, early warning against insecurity in Nigeria should form part of education curriculum at all levels. Jalingo Journal of Peace Science and Conflict Management Volume 1, Number 2: December, 2021 ISSN 2805-4075 106 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17928796 Community Relations: Community relations is a dimension of PR that has to do with the deliberate effort and planned programme embarked upon by an organization to maintain a smooth relationship with the host community (Paleowei, Aduba & Aloni, 2014). Wilson and Jibrin (2014) asserts that community Relations is an indispensable factor for growth and development especially in the present changing social, political and economic climate where everyone wants to grow, wants to succeed, wants to be heard and recognized, wants to be involved in what daily activities of his locality. Government is supposed to make life easy for the people. Like any other commercial or private organization, Government and its agencies such as security outfits can be very successful in managing insecurity through the adoption of community relations strategies. Governmental Community relations can be developed when government institutions like the Nigeria Police and other related agencies understood that they are vital part of the communities they operate from. Therefore, they take part in the community developments of such communities through various kinds of supports, such as encouraging volunteer works, and donating needed equipment to local schools or hospitals and so on. In so doing, the agencies will successfully befriend community members and by extension create mutual relationship that will lead to the provision of useful information to track criminals and to discourage criminalities. Corporate Social Responsibility: Corporate Social Responsibility is a common PR strategy commonly associated with commercial venture. Carol (1998) avers that corporate social responsibility is defined through the ethical relationship and transparency of the organization with all its stakeholders that has a relationship as well as with the establishment of corporate goals that are compatible with the sustainable development of society, preserving environmental and cultural resources for future generations, respecting diversity and promoting the reduction of social problems. Over the years, corporate social responsibility has grown into a global phenomenon that governments and civil society have adopted to achieve their corporate goals. For government ensuring security of lives and properties of citizens is a primary responsibility. Therefore, governments must be socially responsible to the society through provision jobs to youth, education for all and other social infrastructure. Such as act go along way discouraging crime in the society. Today, many youths engage in criminalities out of frustration resulting from joblessness, lack of education and general poverty. To avert this situation government need to be more responsible to the citizenry. Additionally, government should create better legal frameworks to encourage private companies in the country to be more responsible to the society. Harrison in Kitchen (1997) notes that companies are not the states, but companies are part of the society in which they exist and operate, and they need to consider their corporate behaviors as part of their roles in the society because they take so much from the society for its existence and survival. They should be force by government to contribute to the society. This can be done by contributing to the basic needs of their stakeholders particularly as it relates to development of youths which are majorly the perpetrators of crimes in the society. Failure to do that can result to more security challenges as seen in Niger Delta region in the past where irate youth attacks oil companies alleging that the companies were insensitive to their needs. Jalingo Journal of Peace Science and Conflict Management Volume 1, Number 2: December, 2021 ISSN 2805-4075 107 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17928796 Mediation: Mediation is a two-way communication and two way communications is the fulcrum public relations. Mediation involves the use of third party in reconciling conflict. Over the years, this approach was poorly implemented in Nigeria conflict scenarios due to lack of professionalism in the side of mediators used. The focus of this approach in the country has been the used of traditional and religious leaders, sadly in many instances, these leaders have taken side to issues leading to more security problems. In order to maximize mediation as a strategy to manage security effectively in Nigeria, Government at all levels should engage expert public relations persons who will design framework that will guide the selection of mediators to carry out the mediation process especially challenges bothering communal or religions crisis. Negotiation: This is another important PR strategies related to two-way communication approach. According to Enyigwe, Udeajah and Ugwuanyi (2017) negotiation consists basically discussions between parties with a view to reconciling divergent opinions or views or at least, understanding the differing positions of the stakeholders. Over the years, Nigeria has continue to experience various forms of agitations championed by separatists, religious groups among other divides. Attacking and discrediting the leaders of these parties by government and media have failed to solve the problem rather increase tension and attacks against security agents and innocent Nigerians in many places. The suitable PR approach to managing this problem is the adoption of negotiation whereby eminent leaders of these groups can have a platform with authorities to explain, interpret and clarify issues at stake. This will encourage mutual understanding and harmonious relationship. It is in this light that Aliede (2016) asserts that public relations establish an opportunity for peaceful negotiations, diplomacy, tolerance, accommodation and eventual restoration of normalcy. Continuous Communication: Communication is the life-wire of every society and at any given time. Public Relations as a whole are a communication process gear toward building bridges among people of different divides or interest. Aliede (2016) observes that even under war situations, effective communication processes usually deplored with a view toward restoration, rehabilitation, reconstruction, reabsorption and transformation when the crisis would be over. Absence of communication leads to misunderstanding and unhealthy verbal clashes that can lead to physical clashes in security threat. As part of efforts to manage security situation in Nigeria, there is need for open communication among various divides to facilitate understanding of national issues and goals. The mass media and the various government institutions like the National orientation Agency (NOA) can lead in this direction by facilitating collaborative conversation that involves the use of constructive dialogue among Nigeria as means of finding solution to the problem of insecurity. Achalonu (2012) also recommends that to stoutly tackle insecurity, the mass media should through the use of appropriate communication principles, techniques and strategies take the lead in national socialization and attitudinal change campaigns; regular awareness campaigns against issues like terrorism, kidnapping etc. should be seen as part of their social responsibilities, and the role of information as powerful and valuable tool should be recognized and applied professionally to mitigate the effects of insecurity in the country. Similarly, the entertainment industry such as the Nollywood and music can be deployed to strategically promote peace and security via their contents. According to Ogbuoshi (2002), Film is the effective medium of passing important information to the target audience toward behavior change.