Security operatives in Lagos State met on Thursday and declared zero tolerance for all acts of inter-agency rivalries, bickerings resulting in brawls and violent confrontations among law enforcement agencies.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the multi-agency solidartity meeting, hosted by the army in Lagos, was attended by the navy, air force, police and other paramilitary high commands in Lagos State.
In his opening remarks, the GOC 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Enobong Udoh, said that the agencies came together to end incessant bickerings and animosities among the operatives.
He said that the media had been awash with stories of how lower rank personnel engaged one another in physical combats, adding that the platform would change the story for a better one.
“We are declaring zero tolerance for all acts of inter-service/inter-agency rivalries, wranglings, bickerings, animosities, brawls and violent confrontations.
“Especially in the short term, we may not be able to guarantee that such isolated issues will no longer arise, but if and when they do arise, we must ensure that such issues are expeditiously investigated.
“Anyone found culpable is tried and punished adequately to serve as a deterrence to similar occurrences in the future,” he said.
The GOC urged all security agencies to preach brotherhood, friendship, synergy, cooperation and collaboration with one another so as to eliminate obstacles to good inter-service/inter-agency relations.
“I therefore implore all of us to hurriedly take this message of good inter- service / inter-agency synergy, cooperation and collaboration down to the very last man within our ranks and files.
“This platform is to promote inter-service synergy, cooperation and collaboration as well as give back ups where necessary.”
“We are ushering in a new era of inter-service synergy cooperation and collaboration in Lagos state.
“We are rightly and consciously bidding goodbye to all negative issues that constitute the bane of good and efficacious of inter service/agency relations in this state,” he said.
According to him, security agencies are equal stakeholders, adding that every agency was established to deliver certain mandates that ultimately border on the security of our nation.
“You will agree with me that these negativity in our relationship with each other as service and security agencies served no useful purpose other than to derail and cause us to stumble.
“We can only succeed better if we share information and intelligence with each other and even provide back up for each other, rather than trying to undermine each other,” he said.
He urged everyone to henceforth take measures that would help promote good inter service and agency relations.
Present at the meeting were Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command,Rear Admiral Sylvanus Abbah, Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Nigetian Airforce, AVM Nnamdi Ekeh and Zone 2 Assistant Inspector General of Police, Adamu Ibrahim.
Top officials of the Department of State Service, FRSC, Prisons, LASTMA, LASEMA, Civil Defence and Fire Service were also in attendance.