National security should be seen, in the sense of protection of the polity through ensuring that national interest is known, sustained, promoted and preserved. In a division of labour setting, national security is ensured through security agencies. The structure of the various arms of these agencies are known to the public, others are not. Some of them are loud and visible, others are faceless, quiet and invisible. But in sum, they must ensure that Nigeria and its people are protected from internal and external aggression, and that people live in an environment of peace and tranquility. The various arms involved in ensuring that such tasks are done have their different laws setting them up. Problems had arisen in the past in regard to how this role of securing the interest of state has been perceived by the security agencies. They have sometimes mistaken security vested interests with national security whereas the interest of security agencies is different from the national interest hence there is need to draw a line between the two. National security is the decision-making process concerned with the identification of potentials and actual threats, and the mobilisation of resources in frame that promptly ensures the safety and stability of the nation-state, while simultaneously, enhancing the promotion of national development. National interest is the interest of the nation. A nation is a nation because of its people. And a nation can only be one when the people constituting it grow into it in their collective outlooks, their collective recognitions and their collective perceptions. These traits must be accommodated at the national level, such that the irreducible minimum viewing of the interests of the nation is that apex picture of one dream, one nation and one destiny. Anything that operates to undermine that one vision, that one dream and that collective looking forward to one salvation undermines national interest. It is an individual's personality, vision, hopes, anticipations, expectations multiplied by the various interest groups in the geographical space that must experience life together expanded to the national level. The nation, in regard to national interest, therefore becomes a nuclear family in that regard. You cannot break it up or split it. It is the irreducible level of performance or expectation or demand the nation makes on those who in a division of labour setting, are assigned roles in the polity. The national interest is not nationality interest. Nationality interest is evident where different national groups find themselves in a geographical space where the need to live together and share lives together make them strive to make one nation. National interest has to do with common aspirations of the national groups, of the citizens of the nation-state. However, it should be such as to override personal or group interests. When we speak of national interest in regard to Nigeria, we should be speaking of those interests which Nigerians are brought up to regard as values to strive for, to live for and even to die for. They are so entrenched, in time, in the psyche of the Nigerian that any other interest must take second place. The nationality interest or any other interest is not on that account endangered or diminished. It only takes place in the order of things. Who determines national interest' Is it the people themselves, the elected representatives, security agencies or the media' Is security interest the same as national interest' Is national interest determined outside the nation or country'National interest is not to be determined by a government official or an outfit in the President's office or by the Judiciary or even the legislature, individually or collectively. It is not a national interest for instance, for the police to arrest a journalist for questioning because he wrote something that has to do with the Inspector-General of Police; or for copies of a magazine to be seized because it has something critical on the President. The issue of national interest is settled in Chapter Two of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. The Chapter deals with fundamental objectives and Directive Principles of the State Policy. It deals with fundamental obligations of Government. The government and the people, Political objectives, Educational objectives and Foreign policy objectives. Other issues that deal with fundamental objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy are Environmental objectives, Directive on Nigerian Cultures, Obligations of the mass media, National Ethics and Duties of the citizens. National interest cannot be sought outside chapter two of the constitution which focuses on areas of national striving. Security interests of the state cannot be the same as national interest of Nigeria. The safety and welfare of Nigerians would more readily protect and preserve national interest than the expenditure of more than half of the national budget in equipping the forces that would tame the people if they broke loose because of inequities, deprivations, hunger and disease. To be continuedBamidele, Assistant National Secretary 1 of NUJ, can be reached via liftmeahead@yahoo.com
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