• Seek stronger collaboration to tackle scourge
Francis Sardauna in Katsina
Security chiefs, Katsina State Government and other stakeholders have called for stronger synergy, intelligence sharing and coordinated operations among security agencies to defeat terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities threatening the North-west region of the country.
The call was made at the North-west Conference of State Directors of Security, held in Katsina on Thursday, with the theme ‘Unite Against Terror.’
Speaking at the conference, the Katsina State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Alhassan Iliyasu, said collaboration among security agencies, communities and other stakeholders to effectively tackle terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities in the region is vital.
He said the fight against terrorism and banditry could not be won by security agencies alone, stressing that every member of the society had a role to play in providing useful information and supporting security operations to tackle the region’s evolving security challenges.
He added that the conference provided an opportunity for heads of intelligence-led organisations and security agencies across the region to review emerging threats, share experiences and develop renewed strategies for curbing banditry and related criminal activities.
Iliyasu said: “The purpose of this conference is for us to come together, review the nitty-gritty of the security challenges, come up with renewed strategies and scale up our countermeasures.”
He noted that the collaboration among security agencies, community-based security structures, vigilante groups and other stakeholders would significantly improve responses to security threats across the North-west region of the country.
He commended the Director-General of the DSS, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, for providing renewed direction for the Service and creating opportunities to strengthen its intelligence and tactical capabilities.
On his part, the Commander, 17 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Katsina, Brigadier-general Ishaya Ibrahim, explained that the synergy among security agencies was no longer an advantage but an imperative in confronting the evolving and borderless nature of terrorism.
He disclosed that military firepower and territorial operations alone could not defeat terrorists, adding that actionable intelligence remained critical to the success of military operations.
He said terrorists exploit gaps in information, coordination and trust, hence the need for the nation’s security agencies to bridge such gaps through real-time intelligence sharing, joint operational planning and mutual support.
In his opening remarks, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda said Katsina State had recorded significant improvements in its security challenges through a combination of both kinetic and non-kinetic measures.
Represented by his Deputy, Faruk Lawal, the governor attributed the security improvement in the state to the cooperation between conventional security agencies and the state’s home-grown security initiative, the Community Watch Corps.
He added that the state government had also “invested heavily” in non-kinetic interventions aimed at addressing some of the socio-economic factors that could fuel insecurity in the state.
He, therefore, appealed to security agencies and the media to be strategic in communicating security-related developments, warning against reports that could inadvertently amplify the activities of bandits and other criminal elements.
Radda urged the media to support security efforts by providing responsible coverage capable of boosting public confidence and the morale of security personnel operating in the North-west region of the country.