Lukman Abdulmalik
Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) with the support of the Open Society Foundation (OSF-Africa) organized a one-day workshop training on improving coordination, collaboration, and communication among security institutions in Nigeria.
Early warning and response are the best practices in the prevention initiatives to tackle violent conflict. This can only be achieved through effective coordination, communication, and collaboration among relevant agencies.
The workshop was held in Porto Golf Hotel, Bompai, Kano with security agencies, civil society organizations, and the Media.
In remarks, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa, represented by the Communication Officer, Jimoh Abubakar, noted that the workshop is aimed at building stakeholders’ capacity on early warning and conflict prediction mechanisms in the state.
“Adequate support for security agencies remains of utmost importance to boost morale, better coordination, and preparedness in early response to early warning signals initiated by communities.
“The criticality of early response cannot be undermined in the early conflict prevention process and mechanisms to secure the lives and property of Nigerians.”
He urged for continued inter-agency collaboration among defence and security institutions which is germane to activate functional community networks.
During the training, Abubakar presented a paper titled “Strengthening Interagency Collaboration against Threats: Navigating the National Security Strategy.”
He explained that the plan’s implementation will be methodical, open, and accountable to guarantee that all ministries, departments, and agencies strengthen national security.
“Implementing the national security strategy for improving interagency collaboration can help ensure the effective and efficient coordination and delivery of services to the public.”
Speaking on the ways to effective interagency collaboration, he enlisted fostering communication, defining clear roles and responsibilities, and implementing practice and joint exercises to develop the skills of individuals on the frontlines.
“Identifying shared resources, including technology and staff, to maximize interagency capabilities.
“Monitoring progress regularly to ensure operations are running smoothly and identify improvement
Opportunities.
“Partnering with the private sector as they can provide additional resources, expertise, and perspectives in infrastructure development, cybersecurity, and disaster response.”
In an interview with participants, the Executive Director of the Centre for Awareness on Justice and Accountability (CAJA), Kabiru Saidu Dakata, highlighted that the workshop would impact the community if security agencies collaborated with CSOs, media, and citizens.
He called on all relevant stakeholders to join hands and strategies on how to implement the national security strategy.
The Special Adviser on Community Policy to Kano state Governor (Abba Kabir Yusuf), Dr. Maimuna Umar Sharif, noted that is the early warning and early response in terms of security that is sustaining the state.
She added that her office will conduct a step-down training on the essence of collaboration with security agencies.
Sharif called on other security agencies to adopt early warning and early response strategies toward strengthening security at the state and national levels.
The national security collaboration workshop is a project held in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, comprising Kano, Adamawa, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Nasarawa, and Enugu.
