By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
Security agencies in the country have been advised to cooperate and work with one another in order to promote peace and ensure adequate security for all Nigerians.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, gave the charge while receiving the management of the National Defence College, Abuja, in his office on Friday.
The minister in a statement by Sola Fasure, his Media Adviser, said, “I recognize the role of the Nigerian Armed Forces in promoting peace and ensuring adequate security for all Nigerians. However, we must ensure all security agencies in the country which include all branches of the Nigeria Military, the Nigeria Police Force and other Paramilitary Security Agencies in the country, must cooperate and see themselves as one and avoid inter-agency rivalry.
“I salute your professionalism and excellence in the discharge of your duties to the nation and keeping Nigeria one,” the minister stated.
The Minister promised he will make himself available as resource person for the college anytime he is called upon.
“As per your request, communicate with my office, anytime you want me to serve as a resource person, I will make myself available for service”.
The minister also urged the College to include senior officers from the Federal Fire Service (FFS) in its training programme.
“Also, kindly include officers of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) in your trainings. They play a critical role in securing lives and property. Though we haven’t started having huge wide fires like they do in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey amongst others, however, the effect of climate change is beginning to catch up with us.
“We must prepare our officers for the task ahead. It’s only an unwise fellow that would wait to learn from his own experience and not from the experience of others. Let us join hands in training and building the capacity of our officers to not only acquire the capacity to physically fight wild fires, but to have the managerial know-how on resource management and effective collaboration with other security agencies, like the Nigeria Air Force, who have the capacity – if well equipped – to fight fire with water and suppressant through aerial bombardment,” the Minister noted.
Speaking earlier, the Commandant, National Defence College, Rear Admiral Muritala Bashir, stated that the courtesy visit was necessitated by the need to collaborate with the Ministry of Interior, especially for the fact that it supervises critical Paramilitary Agencies in Nigeria.
“We acknowledge and recognize the good works of the Ministry you are leading and the agencies under you have been doing in securing the country. “
