Partnering for Security: The Role and Imperatives of Local Non-State Actors in Nigeria

Nigeria is a country blessed with natural potentials that can be harnessed for development. Ironically, she is currently confronted by myriads of security challenges that have impeded the march to development. With the challenges overwhelming the state's capacity to provide adequate security for lives, properties and threats to the statehood at large, partnering in the process has, therefore, become a ready alternative. Unfortunately, even with the plethora of legal security agencies, the security challenges have assumed a demographic dimension in the country with peculiarity found in the various regions. In the attempt to discuss succinctly the Local Non-State Actors (LNSAs) as partners in the security management of the country, this paper identified the forms of LNSAs, the propelling reasons that necessitated LNSAs in the Nigerian context, their operational challenges, the emerging security challenges and demographic spread. It concluded that security challenge is widespread in the country with recorded deaths and loss of properties. Therefore, the idea behind LNSAs is a welcome development that deserved encouragement, particularly now that the federal government has risen to the challenge of recognizing community policing in the country. But, more importantly, they should be closely monitored to avoid misuse and abuse.