SAFIYA WADA ABU
Department of History and War Studies
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna State.
sawadaabu@nda.edu.ng, safiyawadaabu@gmail.com
JIBRINHUSSAINI, PhD
Department of History and War Studies
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna State.
and
MAGARET A. SHUAIBU, PhD
Department of History and War Studies
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna State.
Abstract
Insecurity with its accompanying consequences constitute huge problem in the international system, mostly due to its transcending nature and dynamics. Insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin and Gulf of Guinea is one of such security challenges with great impacts that have gained international attention prompting international security collaborations among states. Despite, these collaborations insecurity in the regions still recurs. Previous authors are yet to study these recurrences from a comparative perspective. This paper assesses the nature and dynamics of the insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin and Gulf of Guinea regions from a comparative perspective. The study employs a descriptive framework of analysis using primary and secondary data. The paper finds that the nature and dynamics of insecurity in the regions can be understood as old forms of insecurity taking new dimension largely because of the actors involved in perpetrating crimes using modern sophisticated weapons available to them. The dynamics can also be seen from the changing mandates and strategies of the regional organizations of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Gulf of Guinea Commission (GoGC). Similarly, the paper finds out that the nature and dynamics of insecurity in both regions are simultaneously facilitated by almost similar factors. This is because these factors are interlinked and show the connection that exists among the terror groups in both regions. These factors include but not limited to; the failure of state governments to fulfill their social contract obligations, the influence of globalization on criminal activities, porous borders, nature of conflict, links created with other criminal groups. The paper concludes that, it is important to address the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty and unemployment, which are crucial for achieving lasting peace and stability in both regions. In addition, there is the need to fostering regional cooperation, strengthening security measures, that explores the loopholes, according to those exploited by the criminals in the factors facilitating insecurity in the region.
Key words: Security, Insecurity, Comparative Security, Lake Chad Basin, Gulf of Guinea.
Introduction The Lake Chad Basin (LCB) and Gulf of Guinea (GoG) are among the most strategic regions with conflicts not just in Africa but globally. They are of significant importance to the security, stability, territorial integrity and economic wellbeing of states around and within them as well as outside the regions. The LCB located in the Sahel region of West Africa and Central Africa sub-regions has been an area of importance for centuries, boosting of one of the only inland fresh water, with rich aquatic resources, with environment good for both livestock and farming activities. The region is also made of one of the most diverse ethnic groups interlinked by centuries of histories. The GoG on the other hand, is also one of the most strategic regions in…..