FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE:Former Director Of DSS, Mike Ejiofor Calls For Restructuring Of Vigilante Groups, Approval To Bear Sophiscated Weapons

By Frank Oshanugor

As many concerned Nigerians are beginning to understand the conceptual meaning of “First Line of Defense” by communities in security as recently canvassed by the Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, a retired State Director of DSS and security analyst, Barr. Mike Ejiofor in supporting the suggestion, has called for the restructuring of community vigilante groups in various states of the federation with retired ex-servicemen playing some vital roles.

The former chieftain of DSS who was a guest on Africa Independent Television (AIT) programme on Monday explained that “First line of defense” as it applies to security is a regular measure of protecting oneself adding that the concept was recently made popular by the Director-General of DSS who spoke during the first annual lecture of the Alumni Association of the National Institute of Security Studies (NISS) when he called for community participation, being the first line of self defense.

During the lecture, the DSS Director-General had given example of how the people of Azare in Borno State adopted the concept and used it to achieve maximum result when he was serving as State Director in that state.

Immediately after the lecture, many Nigerians who watched video clip of the lecture which trended for weeks in the social media began to call for its adoption in the current nationwide fight against banditry, insurgency, kidnapping etc ravaging the country.

“I can tell you that “First line of Defense” is the way to go if we must survive the current state of insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, etc ravaging everywhere in the country,” Ejiofor posited.

Speaking further, he explained that security problems and solutions are local in nature, emphasising that “we cannot use the same measures of fighting insurgency in Borno State for example to fight oil pipeline vandalism in Rivers. Therefore each community or local government area must adopt its own solution to it’s peculiar problems,” he stated

In the light of this, Ejiofor has called on the Federal Government to critically look into the concept of FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE because “we cannot continue to do the same thing, the same way and expect different result.”

To achieve this, he has called for the utilisation of retired but idle ex-servicemen who had served in the military, police, immigration etc. “They should be involved in this first line of defense providing information or intelligence to regular services because currently the country does not have the manpower even when the police and military are combined,” he recommended.

He further recommended that since many communities in the country have vigilante groups, “we can begin to harness some by identifying and certifying who could bear firearms. Some of them must have served in the military and other security agencies. We can harness them and bring them together.

“We have many Assistant Inspectors General who were retired prematurely from the Police Force. We also many retired officers from immigration, army, Customs, Civil Defense who are still agile. We can bring them together in handling of arms because if you arm somebody who is not trained, he becomes a danger not only to himself but to the community.

“There are people who are conversant and trained in arms handling. They should be involved under the supervision of the police because police is statutorily charged with civil security.

“The current situation of Vigilante operatives not having assault weapons should also change as long as they are supervised by the police because people have also criticised that “First line of defense” has its draw back.

“I agree with their position but I strongly believe that if we do it under the supervision of professionals trained in arms, we would achieve positive result. It would no longer be like what happened in Plateau State where everyone is running Helter skelter as hoodlums burn down houses and kill innocent citizens.”