AN ASSESSMNENT OF THE RESPONSE OF SECUIRTY INSTITUTION TO CONFLICT AND SECURITY CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Nigeria has been struggling with several challenges, such as insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and so on, in a bid to attain the desired national development goal. These issues have, however, continued to affect all efforts geared toward national development. The goal of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of our security agencies in response to security challenges in our country, which could gingered national development. To achieve this purpose, the paper relied on documented sources to assess the responses and challenges associated with the operations of the security agencies in the countries. The findings of the research show that the insecurity agencies have not been effective in performing their tasks due to poor funding, poor recruitment and training processes, and corruption in the system, among others. The paper recommends, among others, that leadership at all institutional levels are central to building responses to security challenges. Therefore, Nigeria will have to develop visionary leadership, a leadership that is detribalized and free from corruption that can channel the necessary resources to strengthen the security institutions response to insecurity issues in the country. This will create an enabling environment for developmental activities to take palace effectively.


INTRODUCTION
All over the world, there has been a common occurrence of conflict and security challenges of varying degrees.The majority of the time, both developed and emerging nations has to deal with some sort of conflict and security concern.The effort to control the crisis and return to normal has been strikingly different among these nations.The situation appears to be different in developing countries, particularly Nigeria, where sincere attempts are hardly made to guarantee that a response is made as quickly as possible to minimize the threat.
The Nigerian people have not been able to take use of the advantages of democratic governance since 1999, when democratic government was restored after several years of military dictatorship.Many Nigerians had high hopes that democracy would provide a favorable environment for the overall well-being of the populace, but those hopes have been dashed.Political instability, ethno-religious intolerance, insurrection, a general lack of social cohesion, and economic distortion has all been recurring phenomena.All these have contributed immensely to the rise of separatist movements, militia groups, unemployment, insurgency, and terrorism.These have plagued the country's political system and put the very foundation that guided the founding fathers of the nations in their struggle for independence.Though the rise of violent political, economic, and religious activities in Nigerian is as old as the country itself, the magnitude and dimension of both causes and impacts in recent years are alarming.
The current insecurity and conflicts have even raised serious concerns regarding the prediction of some Western citizens that Nigeria will divide in no distance time.It has further intensified the call for a national sovereign conference where a people-oriented constitution will emerge to replace the current constitution, as it has been faulted for lacking the mandate of the people and failing to address fundamental and historical issues relating to the Nigerian nation.
Thus, accusatory fingers are quick to point to colonialism and the ongoing interaction of domestic and exterior imperialist powers that fan the flames of violence for their own self-aggrandizement.
Therefore, incidents of insecurity and conflicts are actually a reflection of a number of contradictions that have characterized the Nigerian nation, ranging from her colonial past reading to religious and ethnic differences, disparate legal systems, socio-economic and political settings, coupled with ethnicity, which is embedded in the battle for political and economic control that is exhibited by the intellectual and political elites (Wilson 2020).Aspects of globalization, climate change, natural disasters, and the spread of small guns and weapons of mass destruction, corruption, executive lawlessness, and leadership incompetence further exacerbated this.
It is clear that the various incidents of insecurity and violent conflicts occurring all over the nation have serious ramifications for national integration, peace, socioeconomic networking and coexistence, general development, and the sense of unity that is essential to long-term and sustainable development.Due to its inability to address the root causes of violence and instability, it has even had a negative influence on the government's grand strategic plan.
The challenges of terrorism, insecurity, and conflicts have remained persistent, acute, and impermeable despite government interventions to stop the tide of insecurity and conflicts in society through planned strategic, institutional, comprehensively mutual, and integrative methods.This probably calls for a rethink and review of all existing Innovare Journal of Social Sciences, Vol 12, Issue 3, 2024, 1-6 levels of collaboration and synergies for holistic, enforceable, and sustainable dynamic peace building approaches and initiatives for the country.
Expectedly, the rising trend in insecurity will present a significant obstacle to socioeconomic growth because it deters foreign direct investment and exacerbates the problems of poverty and unemployment, which feed a vicious cycle of violence (Wilson, 2020).In this regard, the performance of the nation's security services in addressing the rising tide of insecurity and other criminal conflicts has remained alarming, necessitating a review of their capacity and capability to address the threat.
Nigeria is among the 10 nations most afflicted by terrorism, according to the Golbal Terrorism Index 2018 report from the Institute of Economic and Peace (IEP 2018).The nation accounted for 10,000 (8%) of all fatalities caused by international terrorism in 2017, placing it third behind Afghanistan and Iraq (IEP 2018).Prior to robbers and kidnappers, BH continued to be the deadliest terrorist organization in the nation.In 2018, the gang took credit for a number of violent attacks against security personnel and aid workers.According to the United Nations Children's Emergency Funds report (UNICEF 2018), children in Nigeria have been particularly susceptible to the problem of insecurity, and 1,400 schools have been damaged (UNICEF 2018).
In light of the foregoing, this chapter will discuss the difficulties faced by the security agencies in trying to effectively address national security threats.
There are several institutions that are central to enhancing the response to security challenges in the country.Institutions such as the executive judicial system, the legislature, traditional, religious, security institutions, and so on are all vital in responding to security challenges in the country.The focus of this chapter will, however, be on the response efforts of the various security institutions in the country.Based on this background, this chapter is set out to examine the capability of security institutions in responding to the security and conflict challenges in the country.Solutions that will enhance the capacity and capability of response efforts will also be provided in this chapter.

CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATIONS
connected in one way or another, either through their views, goals, or aspirations, among others, before they can be enmeshed in a conflict.ii.Conflict can be expressed in manifest or latent form.The parties concerned may blow the problem out of proportion for people to know about its existence, or they may make people unaware of the conflict.Manifest conflicts can be easily managed because they are known by people, but latent conflicts are not open to people's awareness; hence, resolving them may be difficult.iii.Conflict involves needs and interests.Needs are those things that are fundamentally of utmost importance to people and that they must fulfill as soon as the purchasing power is available.Interests, on the other hand, are the desires of people.These elements, most especially needs, have the potential to generate conflict when people are blocked from pursuing their needs or interests.iv.Conflict is caused by interference.In a bid to achieve emerging needs or interests, interference may be experienced among the parties, bringing about the emergence of conflict.Conflict, therefore, is a fate of life that occurs when the interactions of people are marked by differences in goals, perceptions, attitudes, views, beliefs, values, or needs.
According to the above analysis, conflict is a natural phenomenon that results from differences in individuals or groups aspirations, values, or needs.However, when conflict occurs, its manifestations and outcomes vary depending on the perceptions of the conflicting parties and the approaches adopted to manage it.

The concept of security
Security is the process involved in removing any threat to individuals and their valuable possessions.Because of this, according to Buzan, security

The concept of conflict
The fact that conflict is a constant in social relationships is unquestionable.Any social gathering, organization, or society must deal with it due to its inevitability.Its interpretation took on a variety of forms due to the knowledge that conflict would arise in any social setting.The definitions that are currently in use, however, adhere to a mental model that distinctly characterizes conflict as: a condition of incompatible behavior, an opposition, an interaction of interdependent parties, a bad omen, and a good or constructive conclusion.Conflict is defined as a situation in which two or more people operating inside the unit seem to have incompatible concerns as a condition (Darling and Fogliasso, 1999).
Conflict definitions include positive or negative outcomes.A conflict is characterized as functional or productive when the conclusion is favorable.Dysfunctional confrontations are those that result in unfavorable outcomes.According to Hoelscher and Robert (2002), conflict is the fundamental force that propels innovation.Conflict, according to Dzurgba (2006), can result in creative solutions and excellent consequences by introducing various viewpoints.Conflict is characterized negatively by Lindelow and Scott (1989) in Dzurgba (2006) as an aspect that elicits negative connotations, bad emotions, and frequently results in devastation.It is significant to remember that the perspectives and conflict management strategies of the parties involved determine how a scenario will turn out.The definition of Donohue andKolt 1992 in Dzurgba (2006) suggests some fundamental elements that need to be clarified at this point.These are:i.
Conflic t occu rs w hen pe opl e are interdepe ndent.

Peo pl
In particular, following the new dimension involving suicide bombers and the allegation that the government and security agencies have been infiltrated by terrorists, the atrocious acts of conflict and insecurity in the country have led to a serious breakdown of law and order and a loss of confidence in the security agencies to provide the necessary leverage for the security of lives and property of citizens in the country.The implications of these claims and the psychological effects they had on Nigerians' minds are better imagined than described, especially in light of the impunity with which those responsible for these heinous crimes continue to kill, maim, destroy, disrupt businesses, and otherwise disrupt daily life in the community as if there were no government.In fact, as a result of this chaotic and normlessness that pervades the Nigerian nation, scholars have equated the country as a weak and failed state (Rotberg, 2002;Rotberg, 2003;Ottaway, 2004;cited in Ndlovu-Gatsheni, 2007;Patrick, 2006;Atiku and Taylor, 2003) based on the indexes that dominate the country's political arena.
Wilmot and Hocker ( 2011) described conflict as a felt struggle between two or more independent individuals over perceived incompatible differences in beliefs, values, and goals, or differences in desires for esteem, control, and connectedness.Conflict occurs when people are nested by some sort of social cord.It does not occur in isolation; people must be related or dependent on one another.
Incompatibility breeds conflict because it is a psychological state in which people cannot get along with one another in an organization.Gray and Starke (1984) considered conflict to be the behavior of a person or group intended to inhibit the attainment of goals by another person or group.Conflict will emerge when behavior is laced with emotions, which are expressed in an antagonistic form.As an opposition, Hellriegel and Slocum (1996) posited that conflict is an opposition arising from disagreement about goals, thoughts, or emotions with or among individuals, teams, departments, or organizations.Opposition is all about preventing a person or a group from reaching predetermined aims, and this will inevitably result in conflict due to the immediate overt response that will be made by the party being prevented.Another definition of conflict is a situation in which interdependent people exhibit (either overtly or covertly) differences in pursuing their own personal interests and needs while encountering obstructions from one another in doing so (Donohue and Kolt, 1992).
is about being free from threat and having the ability of states to keep their separate identities and functional integrity in the face of forces of change that they perceive as hostile.However, the most important factor in security is survival (Bodunde et al., 2014).According to the information above, security is commonly understood to be the state of feeling safe from danger, fear, anxiety, oppression, danger, and poverty, as well as the defense, protection, and maintenance of one's essential values against threats.Williams (2008) argues that the reduction of risks to prized values, particularly those challenges that endanger the existence of a particular interest, is what security is most frequently linked with.In line with the above, Imobighe states that "Security has to do with freedom from danger or threats to a nation's ability to protect and develop itself, promote its cherished values and legitimate interests, and enhance the well-being of its people.Thus, internal security could be seen as the freedom from or the absence of those tendencies, which could undermine internal cohesion, and the corporate existence of a country and its ability to maintain its vital institutions for the promotion of its core values and socio-political and economic objectives, as well as meet the legitimate aspirations of the people" (Ogaba, 2010: 35-36).
Therefore, it may be concluded that security, whether traditional or non-traditional, traditional or state-centric, is all about safeguarding resources, both living and non-living, from theft or harm.

OVERVIEW OF NIGERIA'S SECURITY ENVIRONMENT
A continuous and well-informed examination of the geostrategic environment is necessary given the dynamic nature of international security and the competing interests of states that it exacerbates.This examination starts with a review of the local situation before examining the security concerns and problems that exist on a regional, continental, and global scale.Nigeria has three main religions and more than 250 ethnic groups (Christianity, Islam, and traditional worship).These serve as venues for rivalry that manifest themselves in enduring conflicts over dividing ethnic allegiances, religious intolerance, violent extremism, and political acrimony that obstruct development.In order to achieve strength in our variety, it is vital to create connections that go beyond racial and religious boundaries.
Our 201 million-strong population, of whom 55.9% are between the ages of 15 and 64, has incredible potential for socioeconomic growth (Wilson 2020).However, a high rate of unemployment and poverty is a result of this potential's underutilization in combination with insufficient opportunities.There must be immediate and long-lasting answers, given the significant security implications.The landmass of Nigeria is around 923 763 sq km, out of which 37.33% is arable and offers ideal weather for agriculture (Wilson 2020).These clearly show the potential for food exports and self-sufficiency in food production.
Our agricultural potential has not yet been fully realized, despite the fact that we have greatly increased our agricultural production and are steadily lowering food imports.Several threats exist in our domestic environment that undermines the well-being of our citizens.GoG) and is connected to a variety of maritime-related commercial and infrastructure endeavors.These include ports, coastal infrastructure, shipping, fishing, seaborne trade, offshore energy assets, undersea pipelines and cables, as well as numerous seabed resources.
Increasing attention has also been drawn to our Sea Lines of Communication, as there has been greater movement of trade as well as goods by sea, along with a higher dependence on energy imports to sustain our developmental goals in the last few decades.
However, because our maritime space is so huge and so poorly policed, it is open to piracy, poaching, sea robbery, and other forms of international organized crime, in addition to marine pollution.Therefore, it is essential that these maritime resources and related activities be properly preserved.The region of West Africa is crucial to our interests in national security.Because of their historical and cultural ties, the states in this region suggest that stress in one nation can spread easily to others.Additionally, a number of the region's nations have political and socioeconomic weaknesses that are consistent with recurrent conflicts and natural calamities like drought and hunger in some areas.
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, ISWAP, and their different branches have taken advantage of these deficiencies to foment terrorism in the area.The GoG is made up of 17 states and has a coastline that measures around 2,874 nautical miles, or about 574,800 square miles.In terms of our calculations for national security, this represents a significant frontier.Growing transnational organized crime patterns in the GoG highlight the necessity for collective security structures to address the problems.Furthermore, conflicting claims resulting from maritime boundaries in the region may result in hostilities.In addition, interest in the energy resources in the GoG has grown steadily over time.These factors evoke both opportunities and threats and indeed justify our national security interests in the GoG.
Our priorities in foreign policy and national security continue to center on the African continent.In many states, the effects of colonial authority are still evident in sociopolitical distortions and security issues.In addition, there is a revived competition among foreign countries for Africa's riches and influence, which could jeopardize the continent's unity.Nevertheless, some African nations are currently embroiled in protracted and crippling armed conflicts as a result of modern sociopolitical disputes that are made worse by governance issues.As a result, a large number of African states are categorized as least developed countries and make up the majority of the list of highly indebted poor countries around the globe.Our strategic objectives are threatened by this situation.On the global stage, Nigeria remains nonaligned, as we were in the Cold War era.In the post-Cold War globalized world, all nations seek to exploit opportunities and are also susceptible to the insecurities therefrom.
We face both opportunities and problems as a result of our contacts with the developed and developing worlds, the global governance structures, the information revolution and social media, the actions of non-state actors, as well as global warming and climate change.These demonstrate the workings of world systems and the effects of globalization, particularly on Nigeria.When taken as a whole, the geostrategic realities of globalization, climate change, and the information revolution pose numerous problems for our country's security.Nigeria's geostrategic environment is marked by the rise of global terrorist networks, the defeat of ISIS in Syria and the movement of fighters to other war areas, the vulnerability of neighboring states, the influx of immigrants, and threats in cyberspace.Although the Innovare Journal of Social Sciences, Vol 12, Issue 3, 2024, 1-6 Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security services have remained a bulwark and stabilizing force for internal security, the overall security architecture needs retooling.Nigeria's geostrategic analysis depicts substantial but largely untapped strengths amidst critical vulnerabilities.
The country has its security bodies, collectively referred to as the Armed Forces of the Federation, which comprise the Nigerian Army (NA), the Nigerian Navy (NN), and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), with the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) as its part, along with other branches such as the State Security Service, nicknamed the Department of State Security, the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Nigerian Customs Service, the Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the National Intelligence Agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, and private security organizations.
The National Assembly exerts democratic control through its oversight responsibilities, while the Office of the National Security Adviser is mandated to coordinate the actions of the security institutions by the Federal Republic of Nigeria's (1999) revised constitution.According to the constitution, it is the NA, NN, and NAF's duty to protect the country's territorial integrity from outside attack and internal uprisings.
Additionally, the NPF is in charge of upholding law and order.The constitution also stipulates that each of the three levels of government in the nation must have an early warning system.However, the current state of the major security bodies' equipment support and planned functions is subpar (Wilson 2020).

THE CHALLENGES OF SECURITY INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA
Insecurity has significantly affected national development in Nigeria by disrupting economic activities, deterring investment, and straining social cohesion.Addressing security challenges is crucial for fostering stability, creating an environment conducive to development, and ensuring the well-being of the population.For instance, the Boko-Haram insurgency has been a major challenge for national development in Nigeria.The group's activities include attacks on civilians, government institutions, and educational facilities; disrupt economic activities; displace communities; and hinder social progress.In the same manner, the prevalence of kidnapping in Nigeria poses a serious threat to national development.
Kidnapping often deters investment and impedes economic growth.Additionally, the fear and trauma caused by kidnapping can negatively impact social well-being and disrupt normal life, hindering the overall development of affected communities and the nation at large.
Addressing these challenges is vital for sustainable national development, but it has been difficult for the security institutions to respond effectively to these challenges due to the following factors:

Poor funding
Due to insufficient budgetary allocation, the International Crisis Group (2016) cited resource allocation as an issue for Nigeria's security institutions.As a result, security agents lack the necessary tools and equipment to carry out their tasks.Over the years, funding for the defense and security sector in Nigeria has continued to be a source of debate among academics and residents, with a focus on whether it is adequately or excessively funded.
Although a lack of funding has been cited as the reason for the low capacity in the security sector, Transparency International (IT) and the Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Center (2018) are making the case that the billions of dollars allotted for security are actually being wasted due to inefficiency and the lack of transparency in how they are allocated, particularly the hidden funds known as "security votes."As money intended for the acquisition of armaments is frequently mismanaged or outright stolen, corruption in the sector is high.
The Dasukigate gulped fifty-four billion, six hundred and fifty-nine million, five hundred thousand naira (N54, 659,500,000.00),equivalent to $US 273,297,500 (at an average of two hundred naira exchange According to similar reports, the ongoing counterterrorism operation in the north-east of Nigeria is yet another instance where the lack of a joint doctrine is impeding the ability and competence to deal with the problem effectively (Wilson 2020).According to Aiyede (2015), the lack of centralized control made the joint operations doctrine outlined in the NDP 2006 unworkable.Aiyede claimed that the clear discrepancies in the terms of the Armed Forces Act 2004-which granted the chief of defense staff (CDS) operational direction without equivalent powers as it relates to the service chiefs-are the structural difficulties that reveal this lack of centralized control.

Recruitment and training
The main issues affecting the capacity and capability of Nigeria's security agencies are recruitment and training.They are crucial in assessing security agents' abilities since ineffective hiring and training practices can negatively impact security agents' performance.Favoritism and other vices that cause people without the right potential and mental disposition to be recruited are said to have seriously harmed the recruiting process and posting into Nigeria's security institutions (Wilson 2020).
The result of poor hiring practices through acts of "godfathership," a corrupt influence against the rule of law by corrupt, usually powerful Wide skill and knowledge gapFurthermore, it has been noted that there are significant skill and knowledge disparities among security agents.These gaps are present in several areas with various priorities, including labor, IT, funding, training, and equipment (Nnabuife 2019).The observed and expected level of service provided by the security institutions can also be used to determine where gaps exist.For example, if the security institutions are not providing the level of service that is expected, it may be because there are knowledge and skill gaps that negatively affect the coordination and intelligence gathering of the Nigerian security institutions (Amnesty International 2018; ICG 2016; Abegunde 2013).This brings to the fore the question of how security agents are being recruited, trained, and funded.Nigeria security institutions are also not up to date with the required operational technology and routine maintenance culture to operate effectively in the ever-complex, dynamic, and multiple security threat environment of the 21st century.
Because certain corrupt people or groups have the power to undermine government efforts to bolster both human and national security, corruption has a detrimental effect on maintaining national security.The nation's political and economic problems, which result from the national elite's quest for power and its impact on the distribution and management of society's wealth and resources, are evidence of the connection between corruption and the crisis of national security in the country.Obasanjo (1999) acknowledged the absence of a corrupt national elite and the detrimental consequences it has on the nation, saying that confusion, greed, and corruption in high and low places, selfishness, pervasive lawlessness, and cynicism have taken over our national life.The problem of corruption in Nigeria has weakened the country's national security, construed as the concern for national survival, national self-defense, the preservation of a government's sovereignty, or even the broader focus on social justice and the realization of peace and progress for those in society (Ujomu, 2015).
rate per dollar in 2015).The money was shared by 21 individuals and companies.The money was over two billion naira above the entire appropriated constituency Zonal Intervention Project of 2015 (N51, 829,913,012) for 1278 projects across the six geopolitical zones of the federation, including the MDAs (Owasanoye, 2021).Regrettably, only a fraction of the diverted funds was recovered, and the perpetrators were barely punished.The inability to enforce sanctions reflects the underbelly of a corruption-complicit culture and the tacit social acceptance of corruption.It also indicates the status of the Nigerian criminal justice institutions, which were easily manipulated to frustrate the best interests of the people.The society becomes the loser with similar malfeasance being repeated (Owasanoye, 2021).Innovare Journal of Social Sciences, Vol 12, Issue 3, 2024, 1-6 people, is known in Nigeria as "godfatherism," which also refers to the protection of the most popular security agents along the rung of ascendency, a shot at capability and capacity, and denigrating merit.

Equipment
According to establishment ads published in the 1999 Nigerian Army Order of Battle (NA ORBAT), Nigeria's security institutions have what is known as a table of equipment that lists the types and quality of equipment.Having at least 75% of its troops and equipment in usable condition was a requirement of the be-battle-ready recommendation for a command.The equipment holdings of the nation's armed forces are determined to have significant differences as of 1999, according to data from Global Security (2020).For example, there were 79 serviceable APCs as against the 528 APCs by establishment to equip the six mechanized battalions (222, 65, 165, 319, and 93) in the NA.

Workforce
The challenge of the workforce in the security sector was put into perspective in the statement by ICG ( 2016) that " a country of over 170 million people, facing security challenges from an Islamic insurgency in the northeast to a resource-based conflict in the Niger Delta, a military numbering of less than 120,000 personnel is clearly inadequate.
The ICG further emphasized that understaffing reflects poor planning and a faulty recruitment system.From this, it can be said that challenge of the workforce is a serious one that affects the performance of the armed forces.

Strategic communication
The concept of strategic communication covers a number of different ideas, including media operations, psychological operations, propaganda, and psychological warfare (Cornish et al., 2011).The effective deployment of these instruments is something that security institutions in the twenty-first century must be prepared for and amenable to, as it will increase their ability to successfully carry out assigned objectives and roles.The processing of information related to operations against the active Boko Haram insurgency and abduction activities in the nation shows that Nigeria's security agencies need to increase their capability in this area.Thus, Aiyede (2015) noted that poor information management has been at the root cause of wild speculations in the local media and that some personnel may be complicit in supporting Boko Haram insurgents with equipment and funds.
to the extortion by security personnel.Page (2019) also noted that there has been no move by the administration to reverse the tendency of the army to take on regular police duties.

SOLUTION TO SECURITY INSTITUTION'S RESPONSE TO CHALLENGES OF CONFLICT AND SECURITY CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA
Having considered the challenges faced by security institutions in responding to conflicts and security crises in Nigeria, it is important that we suggest appropriate strategies that will enhance the response of security agencies to security challenges in the country.

Good governance
Related to good leadership are the issues of ensuring good governance.
Good governance is the foundation upon which a formidable economy and sustainable security is built.Unfortunately, the idea of good governance is a mirage in Nigeria.Indeed, there cannot be found on the continent of Africa any single government that can boast of living up to the global standards, expectations, and core values of governance.

Socio-Economic Development
This factor is strongly considered to be the major key to peace and security in Nigeria.In the view of Kufour (2012), the challenge in solving the insecurity problem in Nigeria is to accelerate the pace of development.
Development in this context consists of creating an economy with relevant social, economic, and physical infrastructure for business operations and industrial growth to provide gainful employment, high-level education facilities, and medical care for the people.

Elimination of corruption and entrenchment of social justice
Everyone sees corruption as a vital element affecting Nigeria's progress and development.It is our society's scourge.It is a monster on the social and economic fronts.It results in a subpar hiring process in Nigerian security organizations.Additionally, it is the foundation of Nigerians' discontent because it leads to inequality and an unfair distribution of the country's wealth among its people.It is suggested that eliminating corruption and winning the war will result in the establishment of an egalitarian society where fairness, social justice, and equal rights for all will predominate.

Development of a more balanced security strategy
This has to do with a strategy that is all-encompassing and involves a combination of techniques that would not only break their communication and interactive network of terrorist groups but also disarm them of resources by tracking their information inflow and resource mobility through higher technology that can also help to locate their base, their sponsors, and their intelligence power houses

Challenges of professionalism
Professionalism has been identified as one of the challenges to the capacity and capability of the security sector in Nigeria.Page (2019) pointed out that there are significant efforts aimed at more defending human rights abuse and providing excuses than a proper investigation of the causes of lapses, to the extent that citizens have grown accustomed

Technology
One of the factors influencing the capacity and capabilities of Nigeria's security institutions, according to NINSED (2016), is technology.The fact that kidnappers can keep their victims in captivity for several months or years in the country while negotiating for ransom through phone calls and without being promptly and effectively intercepted through aid is one obvious manifestation of the technological gaps.A caller cannot be tracked due to a flaw in technology or a compromise in how it is used.Mr. Arese, a former inspector general of police, said, as reported by Wilson (2016), "Unfortunately, the NPF has over the years been grappling with a weak forensic capacity, which has been a major factor in our inability to manage complex criminal situations, lending credence to the challenges of technology.As a result, Nigeria's security industry faces some issues related to technical innovation, which are nevertheless as effective as the human aspect driving them.
Leadership developmentLeadership at all institutional levels is central to building responses to security challenges.It is viewed that Nigeria will have to develop visionary leadership, a leadership that is detribalized such that it has at its leadership positions only people who are able to inculcate in their people or followers the ideal of common citizenship as the transcendent factor among all Nigerians, no matter the tribe, gender, religion, economic, and social status.In other words, it is imperative that we have leaders who "would not be limited to championing the causes of their home state, tribe, or religious groups, but rather focused on deeds and pronouncements that convincingly and positively impact the entire citizenry of the federal republic" (Kufour, 2012).The argument for this is that such leaders "will help to mold the contending ethnic and religious groups into harmony and help to remove the perceived mutual distrust among them.The process of developing visionary leadership can be challenging, but it can be overcome, as Kufour (2012) suggests, "by using institutions of the Nigerian constitution as a nursery ground to produce leaders with a national outlook and with a missionary zeal to transform the nation."This is the kind of leadership that will give direction for the effective operations of Nigeria's security institutions in responding effectively to the security challenges in Nigeria.and systems (intelligence sources), identifying and isolating them for easy pick-pocketing.

CONCLUSION
Response to security challenges in Nigeria has been viewed with several challenges as security challenges itself.There are many institutions responsible for responding to security challenges in the country, which include the executive and legislature.Judicially, traditionally, religiously, and so on.A focus in this chapter was on the response of security institutions.The consolidation of our nascent democracy and even the sustenance of the Nigerian State have come to depend on the ability of the government to manage these contending security challenges, which seem to pose a great challenge to its ability to govern.
To present date, the response of government to conflict management has been mainly the use of police and military force which has been shown in this chapter to lack capacity to respond to the security challenges in the country.Addressing the root and triggered causes of insecurity and conflicts will reduce the pressure on the ill-equipped security institutions.
The activities of Boko Haram terrorists and the Islamic State in West Africa Province serve as examples of how sectarian and resource-based conflicts, as well as the difficulties posed by climate change, engender environmental and related agitations that form the threat patterns confronting the country's progress (ISWAP).Nigeria is a coastal state with a 420-mile coastline, a 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone, and approximately 84,000 square miles of maritime area to exploit and preserve.Natural resources are abundant in this region and are vital to our continued economic viability.Nigeria's maritime environment is a key component of the Gulf of Guinea (