COAS insists synergy among security agencies key to ending insecurity

Joy Joseph, Lagos

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya has said synergy among security agencies is germane to tackle the spate of insecurity in the country.

Yahaya stated this on Monday, while addressing military personnel at Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos State during his maiden visit to 81 Division, Nigerian Army.

The COAS maintained that no one agency could tackle the level of insecurity in the country alone, stating that military personnel ought to collaborate to end the reign of terror and banditry in the country.

He said: “The enemy we are facing in terms of security challenges are within; they interact with the community, that is why we must remain professional and vigilant.

Lagos is cosmopolitan and a lot of people are here, it is a city with a lot of people, the more reason you should remain alert and vigilant.

“Therefore, we must continue to work in synergy with other services and other agencies because what we do not see, another element will see.

“I appreciate you for the job you are doing and urge you not to rest on your oars but improve on our operations, conduct and activities.

“I also urge you to continue to be professional soldiers working in harmony with other agencies and relating well with other law abiding citizens who are doing their jobs well.”

Noting that all organisations including the military had area of challenges, he said the security chiefs will continue to work to surmount such challenges.

“I will personally look into areas of challenges such as improving welfare, renovating and building more accommodation for our officers, providing generators and vehicles for logisitics, among others,” he said.

Yahaya challenged senior officers to step up their game because they had the responsibility of bringing up the Junior officers through good example and leadership.

“You have to be on time before you check somebody for late coming, you have to be well dressed before you can check somebody for not being well dressed.

“I also urge you all to be your neighbours keeper and always check up on one another to see of what way you can be of assistance to them and their family,” he said.

Admonishing officers to study and improve themselves in every area including physical exercises to be eligible for promotion, he said:

“There are limited space at the top as you rise in rank that is why everybody can not be promoted at once.

“That is why in a battalion there is only one Lieutenant Colonel because there is a selection process for promotion so it will be wrong to promote everybody at once.

“So, that is why you have to work hard, earn a place, meet the criteria for promotion and you will be promoted.”

Yahaya advised officers against deserting the service because the Army had designed Operation Checkmate to arrest deserters and those who run away from the military among many other offences.

“In any case, this job is voluntarily and if anyone wants to leave you can do so but there is a procedure to doing so,” he said.

The COAS also said that he visited the Nigerian Army Ordinance Corps in Epe to inspect the facility and also meet with the traditional rulers of the community.

“The Nigerian Army always seeks for ways to strengthen relationship with host communities that is why we have a department in the Nigerian Army Headquarters called Civil Military Affairs Department.

“The responsibility of this department is to enhance relationship with host communities and with other civil societies by providing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the community,” he said.