Reps want more synergy among security agencies on insecurity

The House of Representatives has urged the National Security Adviser (NSA) to put in place mechanism for enhanced collaboration among security agencies in the country towards tackling security challenges.

The call was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Abbas Adigun (PDP-Oyo) at the plenary on Thursday.

Moving the motion earlier, Adigun said that lack of synergy among security operatives over the years had become a recurrent decimal resulting in inter-agencies conflicts.

According to him, for more than two decades, hardly did a year passes without recording violent clashes between security operatives particularly between personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force.

He said that security agencies and para-military organisations in Nigeria have been caught in the web of violent clashes over the years as well.

“The inter-agency feuds among security agencies have exposed the country and her citizenry to perpetual threats and insecurity.

“Without synergy and effective collaboration among security agencies, the security challenges in the country will remain unabated.

“Failure of security operatives to address some of the daunting security challenges of Nigeria is due to lack of synergy among them.

“Securty operatives rather than explore avenues of collaboration in security provision, capacity building and sharing intelligence reports, have over the years been engulfed in unhealthy rivalries.

“Inter-agency discipline and inter-agency es-pirit de corps appears to be on the decline and this could be detrimental to the security of the country,” he said.

The rep said that recent clashes between military personnel and policemen particularly in Taraba, Kaduna and Ebonyi were pointers to the fact that there were still traces of disharmony and synergy in operation and information management among security agencies.

Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa) said that there were issues bordering on areas of operations among security agencies.

He said Section 4 of the Police Act empowered the police to enforce all laws in the country.

The lawmaker explained that the provision allowed the police to take over functions of the military and other security agencies.

He said that the constitution also empowered the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to ensure the coordination and implementation of all laws resulting in conflicts.

Rep. Gudaji Kazaure (APC-Jigawa) described inter agency clashes as an embarrassment to the nation and its security agencies

In his ruling, the Deputy Speaker of the house, Rep. Ahmed Wase referred the matter to relevant committees for compliance.