Development lawyer, activist, social entrepreneur and public affairs commentator, Frank Tietie, has called on the Federal Government to complement its security efforts with emergency funding for security agencies, insisting that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity requires extraordinary financial and institutional interventions.
Tietie made the call on Tuesday while speaking as a panelist at the First Daily Sixth Anniversary National Dialogue on Security held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
Speaking during the panel session, Tietie clarified that the call for a security emergency should not be confused with the constitutional declaration of a state of emergency under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the declaration of a state of emergency is a legal concept that does not imply the suspension of the Constitution, the rule of law or the powers of other arms of government, but rather authorises the use of extraordinary measures to confront exceptional threats.
He noted that references by some speakers to a “security emergency” should be understood as a national call to recognise that Nigeria is effectively confronting conditions similar to a state of war.
“Section 305 does not connote the suspension of law, neither does it suspend the powers of other arms of government. What it involves is the use of extraordinary measures.
What we have now is a call to the understanding that this country is actually at war, which is the essence of that constitutional provision,” he said.
The legal practitioner expressed concern that criminal elements had, in some instances, developed enough capacity to challenge the authority of the Nigerian state, warning that no society should permit non-state actors to possess greater operational strength than its security institutions.
“There will always be criminals in every society, but for how long should criminals overpower the force of the state?” he asked.
Tietie stressed that any declaration of emergency on security must be reflected in government spending, urging authorities to significantly increase funding for the police, the armed forces and other security agencies.
“I think we need to leave this conversation with a resolve that this emergency should not only affect human lives but should also be reflected in funding.
Declare an emergency in funding the police, the army, the Air Force, the Navy and other law enforcement agencies,” he said.
He also welcomed ongoing legislative efforts to establish state police, describing the proposal as an important response to Nigeria’s security challenges.
According to him, while opinions differ on state policing, responsible governance cannot exist without giving governments adequate powers and resources to protect lives and property.
Tietie expressed optimism that deliberations by the National Assembly on state police legislation would strengthen Nigeria’s security framework if accompanied by proper legal safeguards, accountability mechanisms and sustainable funding.
He maintained that strengthening the country’s security institutions through constitutional reforms and improved financing remains critical to restoring public confidence and effectively combating insecurity.