By Razornews,
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s security architecture on Tuesday renewed a strong call for deeper institutional collaboration as a critical weapon against terrorism and violent crimes.
The call was made at a one-day inter-agency lecture and awards ceremony organised by Razornews in Lagos, with the theme, “Institutional Collaboration as a Tool for Counter-Terrorism and Crime.”
The event, held at Shoregate Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, brought together senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigerian Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, among others.
In his keynote address, Assistant Commandant of Corps, John Attah Onoja, Commander, Mining Marshal, stressed that no single agency could defeat Nigeria’s complex security threats alone, noting that emerging crimes demanded coordinated intelligence sharing and joint operations.
Guest speaker, Dr Bone Chinye Efoziem, Managing Director of Strict Guard Security Services, emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships, urging private security outfits and communities to support state efforts through intelligence gathering and early warning systems.
At the end of deliberations, participants issued a communique declaring that:
“Nigeria as a social system has institutions structurally established and entrusted with certain specific functions. Among such institutions are the security agencies of the state like the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Immigration, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corp, National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency.”
It added: “Criminality in Nigeria has no boundary; hence all security agencies should play inter-agency roles in combating all crimes like terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, smuggling etc.
“Inter-agency collaboration among the various security agencies is non-negotiable.
“Collaboration and partnership among state security agencies and non-state actors like community vigilante groups have become inevitable.”
The communique further stressed that:
“Promotion of the culture of patriotism and nationalism among state security agencies and non-state actors is absolutely necessary.
“Since insecurity has no boundary and does not recognize religion, tribe, political or social class, the fight against it should be devoid of sectional bias or other mundane considerations.”
On the role of traditional institutions, it resolved that: “More roles should be assigned to the nation’s traditional institution with respect to community policing… traditional rulers should be charged with the responsibility of communal security by ensuring that any criminal elements in their midst are reported or handed over to the law enforcement.”
It warned against land grabbing, noting that:“Community lands should be utilized equitably instead of a situation where some traditional rulers connive with external land grabbers thereby creating food insecurity which ultimately leads to other crimes.”
On non-indigenes, the document stated:
“The offense of one non-indigene resident in a community should not be used to generalize that all non-indigenes… are criminal suspects.”
The communique also proposed that:
“The Federal Government could consider granting amnesty to armed bandits and terrorists if they are ready to drop their weapons with a subsequent education of the largely illiterate population of the killer bandits and terrorists.”
It listed key drivers of crime to include illicit funds, illegal arms, drugs and unemployment, lamenting:“Lack of political will to check the illegal mining of solid minerals… is a major source of funding of criminality."
It added that: “Criminality can be checked through local and international collaborations… including Interpol, cyber security partnership at the global level.”
Participants also called for a joint police-military control centre, stating that: “The military and police can collaborate and establish a control centre where decisions on quick responses can be taken.” The document concluded:“Security is no longer territory centred but people-centric.”
High-level contributions came from the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Adewale Akanbi Telu I, Rear Admiral O.A. Bankole (rtd) representing the former Chief of Defence Staff, and CP Olanrewaju Moshood Jimoh, representing the Inspector-General of Police
