Sustainable Internal Security in Nigeria: Any Role for International Human Rights Law?

What is it about?

This article argues that the level of insecurity in Nigeria portrays the country as manifesting the symptom of a failed state. The article argues that the problem of internal insecurity can be remedies by the adoption of the new approach to security in international law. This new approach emphasises a conception of security that is essentially based on human security and which is not merely state-centric. Emphasising human security as a new approach to security entails guaranteeing freedom from fear associated with lack of economic sustenance, food, health, healthy environment, political freedom etc. _x000D_ _x000D_ There is a link between human security and development. Where all generations of rights (example: economic, social and cultural rights, civil and political rights etc) are respected and given effect to, all facets of development are enhanced: human development, socio-political development and economic development. Such enhancement reduces recruitment into the pool from which the actors in insecurity emerge. _x000D_ _x000D_ Unfortunately, Nigeria's conception of security, as shown in in her National Security Strategy, is essentially state-centric. Little emphasis is placed on rights that lead to the realisation human security. _x000D_ _x000D_ This article argues that although birthing sustainable internal security in Nigeria via the international human rights law can be retarded by some factors, it can be fixed by effecting some recommendations in the article.

Featured Image