Nigerian Navy Engages Sister Agencies On Inter Agency Cooperation
By Bejamin GBO
The Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy has engaged about twelve military and paramilitary agencies on inter agency cooperation to enhance the country's security.
This was disclosed by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, during the command's 2024 inter-agency seminar in Calabar with theme, "Strengthening Inter Agency Cooperation Amongst Security Agencies At The Tactical Level: A Panacea For Operational Effectiveness.”
Speaking at the vent, Akinwande said the complex nature of Nigeria's security challenges requires mutual trust to meet the challenges.
He said: "I will like to stress that the complex nature of security challenges demands the security agencies emplace a very robust, collaborative arrangements that will foster common understanding of security challenges, mutual trust as well as intelligence sharing to meet these security challenges.
"We want to talk directly to the lower cadre, our men out there in the field. We expect that at the end of the seminar, the outcome will foster that much needed inter agency collaboration, cooperation, mutual trust and common understanding among them as far as meeting the contemporary and complex national security challenges that confront us," he said.
Speaking on the theme, Dr Ubong Essien, a resource person emphasised that security agents are a reflection of their agencies, adding that a big problem lies with the agents and every security agency must moderate, sanction and also look inward at what the agent does at the tactical level.
Also speaking on the sub topic, "Importance of Building Trust and Communication among Security Agencies" Essien said lack of trust among security agencies makes it difficult to cooperate, maintaining that it is made more difficult by the environment and information age we are in.
According to him, the organisational culture of an agency can change a lot and this culture should reflect in the character of the agent.
On his part, Dr Atehle George, in a lecture titled, "Conflict Resolution And Mediation Techniques: A Solution for Effective Interagency Collaboration," said security agencies should avoid cross cutting mandates, focus on their mandates and not position.
He added that no agency is superior to the other and that collaboration and partnership is for the overall development of the society.
In his closing remarks, the Chief Staff Officer, Headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ebiobowei Zipele, said every agency is unique in its own way and there is no place for superiority of agencies.
