Co-creating Community Peace: Leveraging on Information Security Management in Oyo State, Nigeria

Sustainable peace has never been so much a desired commodity in Nigeria’s nationhood journey as it is today. The fragility of Nigeria’s socio-political landscape, the attendant economic woes, corruption, and protracted insecurity with its hydra-headed manifestations through religion and ethnicity from the North to the South make sustainable peace a priceless commodity.  To achieve peace without co-creating peace with the host community may be challenging. The study investigated the deployment of Information Security Management and Co-creating Community Strategy for Peace in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State. The study was anchored on Risk Management theory of information security. However, this theory was developed in the 1970s by the psychologists Amos Tversky, Daniel Kahneman, and Paul Slovic. From the investigation they carried out, an important aspect of information security and risk management is recognising the value of information and defining appropriate procedures and protection requirements for the information. A descriptive research design was adopted for the study through a quantitative method with the use of questionnaires. The purpose of using descriptive research is to determine the situation as it existed at the period of study. Primary and secondary method of data collection was used. More so, the study population comprised all personnel of Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, which includes male and female senior personnel. Total number of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered, while 78 were correctly filled and returned, on which the analysis depended. The study reveals that Ibadan North LGA is trying possible means to inculcate the use of ISM, such as having an ICT, tracking, and intelligence-gathering department. Likewise, availability of necessary equipment such as CCTV, surveillance cameras, GPS, Drones, Motion sensors and Alarm systems for their security unit. However, there are various challenges in using ISM such as lack of fund, unwillingness of some staff to give detail information on security issues among others. Conclusively, information security management should be seen as strategy rather than merely operational routine. The gathering of information must not be taken for security protection itself. It must be processed, analysed and managed for sound intelligence sharing and decision making. Overhauling of security equipment for timely, effective and efficient communication is key to safety and management. Working with outdated tools and equipment can compromise information security.