Advancing Intelligence Analysis and Military History for Strategic Crime Detection and Prevention in Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to interrogate influence of intelligence analysis and military history on crime detection and prevention in Nigeria. Specifically, the study was anchored on the following objectives; Public awareness, Capacity building and Policy implementation.

Methodology: The researchers adopted Clarke and Mayhew’s Situation Crime Prevention theory and the descriptive design for the study. Primary and secondary data were obtained. Primary data were collected through the 12 key informant interviews held with conducted with personnel of the Nigeria Armed Forces, Peace and Security Scholars, officials of the Federal Ministry of Defense, selected community leaders, and stakeholders in the security sector, as well as relevant Civil Society Organizations on crime prevention process. The secondary source of data included; the existing literatures, relevant journal publications, dailies, magazines and web materials. Data obtained were content-analyzed. 

Findings: Findings of the study revealed that the lingering aftermaths of civil war, bribery and corruption, inadequate security gadgets or equipment, absence of motivation for security personnel, inadequate cooperation from the general public and negative perception towards the security agencies, poverty, lack of patriotism, bad leadership, among others were the factors militating against the timely crime prevention efforts by various stakeholders in Nigeria. Findings also indicate that intelligence analysis and military history remain highly imperative in crime detection and prevention in the state, as it is evident that they help in locating and studying the spots or terrains of crime, conflict and war (shaping the battlefields, dictating routes of advancements, and dictating defensive positions). The study recommends that the Office of National Security Adviser through the Nigerian government must be able to integrate a variety of past experiences of military activities, intelligence information sources, determine how relevant they are towards enhancing national security and assess the situations based on context.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study identifies the gap that lies between policy implementation, influence of intelligence analysis and military history on crime detection and prevention in Nigeria. It shows that the stakeholders are not doing enough towards curtailing crimes in the country. There are still gaps to be filled in awareness campaign, capacity building and policy implementation on the deployment of intelligence analysis and military history for crime detection and prevention. The study therefore submits that strategic intelligence analysis and military history need be up scaled to timely identify, analyze, and prevent potential escalation of crime.