Community Based Early Warning in Conflict Management and Peace Building in Nigeria: An Analysis of Internal Security Issues

Abstract

The myriad of conflict situations in Nigeria has made international communities to perceive the country as unsafe for investment. Our situation is worsened by government seeming insensitivity to early warning signals or rather security intelligence reports which tend to portray the potential for security breach, unless prompt action is taken by government to contain the situation. There is no single day that passes by, without one form of ethno-religious, communal conflict or the other in the country; talk less of the upsurge of violent crimes and acts of terrorism across the states. This paper examines community based early warning as a means of conflict management and peace building with a focus on the internal security issues. It also interrogates the causes of conflict and insecurity in Nigeria focusing on the theoretical assumptions that act as impetus to them. The paper notes that there is no conflict situation and insecurity emanating in the country without the foreknowledge of government but the management of the early warning determine to a great extent the intensity or other words the dimension, pattern and dynamics of the conflict. The paper notes further that it is government passive approach to conflict situations that generates to great destruction of lives and property. The paper recommends among others: effective communication between government and stakeholders, proper enlightenment at the grass root, quick response to early warning signals, building synergies across all stakeholders and prompt action against defaulters.

Keywords: Early warning, Conflict, Conflict prevention, Conflict management, Peace building, Internal security, community based, Nigeria.