The Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) has warned security agencies to avoid inter-agency rivalry which can damage their individual reputation and the government as a whole.
Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (Rtd), the executive secretary of CCC made the call at a Special meeting of the Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA) in Abuja sponsored by Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme (NSRP) in collaboration with the Centre.
Anas said: “We have observed some disturbing trends, blame games and breaches in information disclosures among agencies of government.
“We have also noticed conflicting information, disinformation and rivalries among respective organisations through the media. These developments can damage the reputation of the agencies involved and give Nigeria a bad image.
“We at the Centre therefore call for restraint as we urge effective synergy, collaboration and cooperation among agencies to protect their image and that of our country as we protect our national security interest.”
The Chairman of the occasion, who doubles as the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman Kukasheka urged members of FOSSRA as the spokespersons of their respective organisations to handle information activities professionally and responsibly.
Kukasheka said: “As spokespersons of security agencies we should use our platforms to synergize and collaborate in harmonising security information. We should always interact by sharing professional ideas towards eliminating incidences of conflicting sensitive information released to the public by our organisations. This is a period where we need to guard against all unnecessary bickering within the security milieu.”
The meeting which recorded large turn-out of participants from military, security, intelligence and response agencies in the country, also reviewed public perceptions of the agencies in the media in the first quarter of the year. Participants at the forum included officers from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Nigerian Army, Air force, Navy, Police, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Department of State Service (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC). Others included Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Fire Service (FSS), and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
