Defence chief moves to end inter-security agency rivalry

• Navy gets new spokesman

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, has said that rivalry among security agencies in the country was responsible for unabated insecurity in the country.

Irabor, service chiefs and heads of security agencies in the country have, therefore, embarked on a major move to check inter-agency rivalry and lack of information sharing.

The CDS, who spoke at a summit organised by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) for government security agencies, tagged: “Strengthening inter-agency co-operation for sustainable national security,” said the DHQ, in conjunction with the services and other security agencies, had been involved in several internal security operations, which are ongoing virtually in all the geo-political zones of the country.

According to him, the operations are aimed at combating contemporary security challenges, such as insurgency, armed banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, farmer/herder conflicts, ethno-religious conflicts, secessionist agitations, oil theft and pipeline vandalism, among others.

BESIDES, former CDS, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, while addressing the participants, said: “I will like to commend the efforts of the Chief of Defence Staff at conceiving and organising this all important workshop to enhance better co-operation among the various security agencies in Nigeria.

“As watch-keepers and law enforcement agents of Nigeria, developing a cordial and symbiotic relationship among you is an important precondition for success in all operations. This must be achieved within the ambits of acceptable global standards.

“It is my belief that this workshop will facilitate the advancement of a proactive and responsive approach that would bring about clear structures and modes of co-operation in wide-ranging situations meant to improve effectiveness among security agencies.”

IN another development, the new Director of Naval Information and Spokesman of the Nigerian Navy (NN), Commodore Adedotun Olukayode Ayo-Vaughan has taken over from Commodore Suleman Dahun.

Ayo-Vaughan, until his present appointment, was the Commandant, Nigerian Naval College, Onne, and a member of 43rd Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). He was at a time the Command Information Officer of the Western Naval Command, Lagos.