Crime, Cults, and Informal Security

2018 ◽  
pp. 651-663
Author(s):  
Kemi Okenyodo
Keyword(s):  
Security Architecture ◽  
Security Sector Reform ◽  
Security Sector ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
The People ◽  
Political Implications ◽  
The Face ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Informal Groups

This chapter looks at the evolution of informal security actors in Nigeria, their scope of operations, and how they seem to be changing the face of the security architecture in the country. Key changes include: the expanding space of operations in view of new insecurity challenges and ineffective responses to the security needs of the people by the formal security actors; a syncretic relationship between the formal and the informal security actors within the country’s security framework; and the political implications of informal groups for security sector reform, decentralization, and other possible ways forward. The chapter takes a critical look at informal policing actors in the different parts of the country (specifically at their mode of recruitment, funding sources, mode of operations, and gender representation), and the opportunities that exist for them going forward in the national security architecture.

The Dynamics of Security Sector Reform in Liberia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Mohammad Tarequl Islam
Keyword(s):  
Security Sector Reform ◽  
Police Reform ◽  
Security Sector ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
The People ◽  
Private Military Companies ◽  
Democratic Control ◽  
The Usa ◽  
New Space ◽  
Liberal Peacebuilding

Abstract Security Sector Reform (ssr) is one of the key mechanisms of the UN norms of liberal peacebuilding. After the end of a 14-year-long civil war, ssr in Liberia has faced enormous challenges but opened a new space for peace and democracy for the people. Under the comprehensive supervision of the USA, two private military companies, DynCorp International and Pacific Architects and Engineers (pae), have played a pivotal role in army reform. Alternatively, unmil has been involved in police reform, which has not been considered successful enough. Furthermore, this study has observed that before ssr, disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (ddr) was not properly managed, which has had a pessimistic impact on ssr. The study has also found that the reformed army and police have been strongly criticised due to a lack of local ownership and citizen oversight, gender inequality, and poor democratic control. Nevertheless, beyond its limitations, the study shows that ssr has achieved a mixture of success in the current security, stability and peace in Liberia.

scholarly journals From Security Sector Reform to Endemic Corruption: The Case of Afghanistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 99-119
Author(s):  
Abdul Rahman Yasa
Keyword(s):  
National Defense ◽  
Security Sector Reform ◽  
Security Sector ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
The People ◽  
Building Process ◽  
National Police ◽  
The U.S

Corruption and insecurity are reinforcing each other. It can hinder the democratic processes and jeopardize the security sector through creating corrupt administrative systems, manipulation of contracts and procurement. After the decomposition of the Taliban in 2001, the U.S.-led coalition carried out Security Sector Reform (SSR) to (re) construct the Afghan National Police (ANP) and Afghan National Army (ANA) together known as Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). Over critical literature, there are serious critiques concerning the U.S. and its allies’ scrimmage for their role in conducting the SSR in Afghanistan. The research argues that the lack of a long-term strategic vision for conducting SSR as part of the state-building process by the international community was a critical challenge. This crux has further been exacerbated by the privatization of SSR and the contrast between the U.S. and its European allies on the role of the police. This dichotomy affected the anti-corruption and law enforcement potentials of police, which resulted in the present crisis. Additionally, this research figures out that insufficient oversight of contracts and procurement, training and advising processes of the ANDSF gave more room for misappropriation, theft, and fraud by both the local and international contractors. Finally, all these shortfalls together with constant turnover have undermined the counterinsurgency efforts of Afghan forces on the ground. Therefore, endless military operation without any tangible results has wearied the people, and further added fodder to the terrorist propaganda machine.

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