Fighting a Trend of Asset Destruction In Nigeria

The Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research has expressed its condemnation of the destruction of national assets, particularly in the telecommunications, oil and gas, transportation, and power sectors. In response to this situation, the group has organized a zonal summit in Port Harcourt to address the legal responsibility of stakeholders to safeguard the country’s crucial infrastructure and assets.

Dr. Chiakor Alfred, the Chief of Strategic Planning and Innovations at the center, recently announced at Port Harcourt that the summit aligns with the Risk Management Framework of the National Protection Policy and Strategy 2022 (CNAINPPS 2022), Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, National Security Strategy Framework, and Critical National Infrastructure Bill, 2021 currently under consideration by the National Assembly.

According to Dr. Alfred, there has been a significant shift in security threats faced by Nigeria over the past two decades.

The new security landscape in Nigeria is characterized by various types of organized criminal activities such as terrorism, rebellion, cyber crimes, banditry, kidnapping, piracy, drug trafficking, and oil bunkering, along with the organized destruction, deterioration, and vandalization of the country’s vital national infrastructure, business assets, and monuments. These challenges have created significant structural obstacles for the country.

“The country is facing a range of security challenges that differ from conventional interstate warfare. The broadening of the security landscape necessitates the acknowledgment of the ecosystemic aspects of the daily and pervasive threats.”

According to Dr. Alfred, the responsibility for protecting the safety of individuals, infrastructure, monuments, and other assets is shared by all citizens, whether they are in the public or private sector.

Originally published by: Guardian