Unhealthy inter-agencies rivalry was on Wednesday fingered as one of the reasons for protracted insecurity in the Nigeria.
Security experts made the submission on at a roundtable on Enhancing National Security through Inter-Agency Collaboration organised by the Buratai Centre for Contemporary Security Affairs, Igbinedion University, Okada.
In his keynote address, retired Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, noted that the rivalry existed despite that no individual agency could holistically handle security issues alone.
Said the former police boss: “Security is more complex than what an individual agency could address without the support of the other.
“Meanwhile, one of the causes of protracted insecurity in the country is identified to be built on unhealthy inter-agencies rivalry.
“Multiplicity of security forces/agencies is not cause of the rivalry, even in well designed political system”.
Arase noted that inter-security agencies collaboration was a necessity in a situation where one agency such as the police could not single-handedly handle its constitutional roles and responsibilities against internal aggression.
Stated he: “This requires that all relevant agencies must seek to promote cooperation to better achieve successful security policy implementation”.
The former IGP, however, called for a review of the existing national security policy and apparatus that would instruct all military and paramilitary agencies as even partners in security management.
He also raised concerns on the connected effect of inter-agencies rivalry on internal security of the nation.
In his submission, retired Maj.Gen. Jeleel Ogunlade, one of the discussants at the roundtable, blamed politics for the rivalry in most cases, seeking for enforcement of standard procedure of operations among the security agencies.
Other discussants advocated for a joint training for the officers of all agencies at strategic, operative and tactical levels.
Earlier in his address of welcome, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the theme was chosen in recognition of the crucial role of synergy among security agencies in the country against domestic and external threats.
As a result of this, he said, inter-agency cooperation had become a necessity from which Nigeria could not shy away.
Said he: “While this realisation of the need for inter-agency cooperation is clear and obvious, it cannot be said that we have harnessed it to the fullest as a country.
“From time to time, we have experienced security breaches that could have been nipped in the bud if only there was a robust synergy among relevant agencies”.
The vice-chancellor asserted that the round-table was, hence, aimed at creating a forum for seasoned security practitioners across diverse agencies to beam the searchlight on their respective perspectives on the subject-matter.
Stated Ezemonye: “It is our firm belief that such a platform as this would go a long way to enrich the current debate on the subject and proffer the way forward.
“It is our hope that with this galaxy of seasoned experts, we shall be able to distill such knowledge as will enhance inter-agency cooperation among security institutions that have a role to play in surmounting the daunting security challenges facing our dear country, Nigeria, today”.
