Professor Oludayo Tade, a specialist in Criminology, Victimology, and Security Studies at Lead City University in Ibadan, emphasized the detrimental effects of inadequate inter-agency collaboration on security management within Nigeria.
During the 4th lecture of the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences at the university, he addressed the topic “Can Two Walk Together Except They Agree? Awusa culture and Inter-agency Relations in Nigeria’s Security Ecosystem.” He highlighted the remarkable synergy and cooperation among criminals, contrasting it with the absence of such principles in the interactions between security agencies.
Tade observed that strained relationships at security organizational levels often lead to public displays of violence, underscoring the need for a political decision to address issues of inter-agency security cooperation within the country.
He emphasized, “Available evidence indicates that poor inter-agency collaboration among Nigeria’s security institutions is one of the major factors militating against effective conflict resolution and security management in Nigeria. The consequence of not working effectively together culminates in an increasing fear of insecurity and diminished trust in the capabilities of the security system to protect the lives and properties of civilian populations across Nigeria in general and terror-intensive zones in particular.”
He further referenced the 2023 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), placing Nigeria among the countries most severely impacted by terrorist activities, spanning from Boko Haram in the Northeast to banditry, criminal kidnapping, and secessionist agitations in other regions of the country.
Tade highlighted the need for the various units constituting Nigeria’s security system to work together to de-escalate conflicts and neutralize security threats through coordinated operations and intelligence sharing.
