Nigeria’s Role in Regional Collective Security in Africa: An Appraisal of Nigeria and Niger Republic Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF)

Abstract

Collective security is an indispensable tool used by nation-states in ensuring stability, peace and development of the international system. It assures of the protection of economic, cultural, political, and other ties which states involved treasures and wants to continue preserving. This study examined Nigeria’s roles in regional collective security in Africa, An appraisal of Nigeria and Niger Republic Multinationals Joint Task Force (MNJTF). The study is essentially qualitative in its approach, primary and documentary sources are the major instruments used for data collection. Respondents of Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were purposively selected. To correlate collective’s security discourse, the study drew collective security theory, which no doubt threw more light on harmony of collective effort to curtail the threats of terrorism in the region. The study found that the multinational joint task forces have really addressed the challenges of insecurity as a result of Boko Haram threats in the region. The study argues the joint team faces with problem of inadequate funds and man power to fight the menace though  they have really achieve a lot in their fight to curtail terrorism in the region. The study concludes that corruption as a bane to African development really impeded the success of the MNJTF in the region. The study recommended among others there is there is a need for West African leaders to display greater political will, and make stronger financial commitments in order to actualize the full potentials of the sub-region’s collective security mechanism.

Keywords: Collective Security, Insurgency, Nigerian State, Boko Haram and Multinational Joint Task force