A former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai (rtd), has identified porous borders, poverty, unemployment, greed and the pursuit of personal gain, leading to the proliferation of criminal networks, as some of the reasons criminality persists in the country.
Buratai stated this at a one-day International Conference organised by the Igbinedion University, in partnership with the Buratai Centre for Contemporary Security Affairs, yesterday in Abuja.
The former Chief of Army Staff, at the event, which had as its theme: ‘Organised Crime Network as Emergent Threats to National Security’, also listed absence of effective law enforcement (police), weak deterrence mechanisms and weak governance structures as contributory factors to organised crime.
According to him, “The causes of organised crime in the Sahel, particularly in Nigeria, are undoubtedly multi-faceted. One of the primary contributing factors is the existence of porous borders, which allows for the easy movement of criminals and illegal goods across national boundaries.
“Also, prolonged conflicts in countries like Somalia, DR Congo, Libya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and now Sudan have a direct impact on the rise of organised crimes. Additionally, the prevalence of poverty and unemployment within the region creates a desperate environment that can push individuals towards criminal activities as a means of survival.
“The influence of terrorist groups in the Sahel, who exploit vulnerable populations and use violence to achieve their agendas, also plays a significant role in fueling organised crime. Furthermore, greed and the pursuit of personal gain contribute to the proliferation of criminal networks, as individuals are enticed by the potential financial rewards”.
He further said: “Lastly, the absence of effective law enforcement (Police), weak deterrence mechanisms and weak governance structures further enable criminal organisations to operate with impunity”, he further stated.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu, corroborated Buratai’s assertion of the pervasiveness of insecurity, adding that orgaised crimes have put serious strains on the nation’s security architecture.
