By Linus Aleke
Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), on Tuesday, decried the interagency rivalry among the military and other security agencies in the country.
He said a symbiotic relationship of the armed forces was a pre-condition for success in the ongoing counter-terrorism and anti banditry operations.
Agwai, who spoke at a workshop on inter-agency cooperation far-reaching in Abuja, said inter-agency rivalry had far reaching implications for national security even as he called for the loyalty of the armed forces to the people and the constitution.
He said: “Developing a cordial, symbiotic relationship among you is a pre-condition for success and lasting security of the nation. The government relies on political, security and military power to function effectively. Cooperation and coordination will provide better results”.
Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), who was also the former Force Commander, United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) recalled the arrest of jailed former President of Liberia, Mr Charles Taylor.
He noted that the episode was a bad example of inter-agency rivalry, adding that synergy of the armed forces is a pre-condition for success in security operations.
He said the arrest of the former Liberian warlord as he left Calabar, where he was in exile and headed to Lybia after the United States declared him wanted, was a low point of inter-agency rivalry.
“Charles Taylor wanted to leave Calabar and go to Lybia. Customs and Army rivalry came up. They argued about who arrested Taylor. Army said we knew him in Liberia. Customs said but we arrested him.
“But the president (Obasanjo) said whether army or customs, Ito am happy Charles Taylor has been arrested,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, called for a proactive approach that would improve inter-agency relations.
He said the three-day workshop themed: “Strengthening Inter-agency Cooperation for Sustainable National Security,” is expected to identify areas of overlap of responsibilities in order to eliminate them.
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“As watch-keepers and law enforcement agents of Nigeria, developing a cordial and symbiotic relationship among you is an important precondition for success in all operations.
“This must be achieved within the ambits of acceptable global standards. I believe that this workshop will facilitate the advancement of a proactive and responsive approach that would bring about clear structures and modes of cooperation in wide-ranging situations meant to improve effectiveness among security agencies,” he concluded.
