Calabar, Nigeria – The Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy has initiated an engagement with twelve military and paramilitary agencies to bolster inter-agency cooperation and enhance national security.
This effort was part of the command’s 2024 inter-agency seminar held in Calabar, themed “Strengthening Inter-Agency Cooperation Amongst Security Agencies at the Tactical Level: A Panacea for Operational Effectiveness.”
Rear Admiral AS Akinwande, Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, emphasized the need for mutual trust among security agencies to address Nigeria’s complex security challenges effectively. “The complex nature of security challenges demands robust, collaborative arrangements fostering a common understanding, mutual trust, and intelligence sharing,” he stated.
The seminar aimed to directly engage lower cadre personnel working in the field, with the expectation that the outcomes would promote essential inter-agency collaboration, cooperation, and mutual trust.
Dr. Ubong Essien, a resource person, highlighted the importance of security agents reflecting the values of their agencies. He pointed out that issues at the tactical level must be addressed through moderation, sanctioning, and introspection within the agencies.
Speaking on building trust and communication among security agencies, Dr. Essien noted that a lack of trust complicates cooperation, especially in the current information age. He emphasized the impact of organizational culture on an agency’s effectiveness.
Dr. Atehle George, in his lecture on “Conflict Resolution and Mediation Techniques: A Solution for Effective Interagency Collaboration,” advised agencies to avoid overlapping mandates and focus on their specific roles. He stressed that no agency is superior to another and that collaboration and partnership are crucial for societal development.
In his closing remarks, Rear Admiral EA Zipele, Chief Staff Officer at the Headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command, reiterated that each agency is unique and there is no room for superiority among them. “Every agency is unique in its own way, and there is no place for superiority of agencies,” he concluded.
