Assessment of Nigeria's Stand in the 2024 Global Peace Index: The Imperative for Legislative Action
Working Paper
The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) (2024) survey has ranked Nigeria 147th on the Global Peace Index (GPI), indicating a troubling state of peace within the nation. According to the report, Nigeria outperformed only Mali and Burkina Faso among the 15 member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Ghana was identified as the most peaceful country in West Africa, followed by Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, and Senegal. The assessment of peace was based on various indicators, including perceived criminality, the number of internal security personnel, homicide rates per 100,000 people, incarceration rates, accessibility to small arms and light weapons (SALWs), and levels of organized internal conflict and terrorist activities. While the report noted a decrease in terrorism-related deaths in Northeast Nigeria, it also highlighted that terrorist activities continue to persist across the country. This ongoing violence emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced legislative action and responsiveness to address insecurity effectively. In light of these findings, this brief advocates for significant legislative measures to combat insecurity in Nigeria. To make substantial advancements in reducing violence and enhancing democratic principles in Nigeria, it is essential for legislators to focus on the various metrics that contribute to a peaceful society. This includes • Strengthen the security institutions and architectures in Nigeria, including increasing the number of security personnel, manpower development, regular trainings, personnel welfare and better working condition. • Institutionalising systematic prison reform system and speedy dispensation of justice. • Institutionalising Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for intelligence gathering. • Strategic border control system to curtail the inflow of illegal immigration of persons and goods, including SALWs.