Security experts on Friday lauded the existing synergy between law enforcement agencies in Lagos State, saying the partnership had helped in curtailing crime in the state.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, the security experts said the collaboration among the agencies was evident in the joint operations and crime fighting emergencies.
The experts noted that besides common crimes such as cult activities, traffic robbery, domestic violence and rape, Lagos did not experience serious crimes such as armed or bank robbery in recent time due to the initiative.
They were, however, united in their view that Lagos remained vulnerable to attacks from the waterways through which hoodlums from neighbouring states sailed in to perpetrate heinous crimes.
The experts, therefore, called for joint marine patrols of Lagos numerous waterways and more security synergy with adjoining Ogun and Ondo states.
Mr Dipo Kehinde, a security expert, noted the high level of intelligence sharing among security operatives in Lagos, resulting in joint operations and raiding of criminals’ hideouts whenever the need arose.
“From what we can see on the ground, I think a good relationship exists between security agencies and it is manifesting in the success being recorded in crime fighting in Lagos State.
“The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Edgar Imohimi, has been very proactive and he showed right from the start that he wanted to partner with all stakeholders.
“He collaborated with the Oadua Peoples Congress (OPC) and other vigilance groups to end the Badoo cult menace in Ikorodu,” Kehinde said.
He noted that the community policing initiative of the present Police High Command was also enhanced by the involvement of vigilante and neighbourhood watchers in the security apparatus of the state.
“The vigilance groups are playing major role in community policing in Lagos, particularly OPC and the newly-inaugurated Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps.
“There is Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in every area and division of the state. The PCRC usually holds meetings with police Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) where they share intelligence reports.
“There is also regular information from members of the public to security agents as part of police community relations.
“Information from the public to security agents, particularly police and the Department of State Services (DSS) is treated with utmost confidentiality. They always accept intelligence reports, analyse and use them accordingly.
The expert also said that the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were accepting intelligence information from civilians in Lagos State, unlike in the past when people were afraid to give such information.
“But with the introduction of special emergency numbers in the state, no one cares who gives any intelligence reports. For instance, many Badoo boys were arrested based on information received from the public.
“The emergency toll-free numbers introduced by the police, fire service, and the State Government also made it easy for the public to reach those concerned when there was an emergency,” he added.
Another security expert, Olawale Oletu, however, blamed the increasing insecurity across the country on the nation’s porous borders, lack of trust in security agents and lack of synergy among security agencies.
He said that the police, which should be the first contact whenever crime was committed, was also understaffed and not well-funded.
“I have said it times without number that there is need to do something about our borders. People just come in and go out without any form of documentation.
“Even when some obviously illegal immigrants are spotted in the country, we fail to inform the necessary authority which I will also blame on lack of trust by the people in security agents.
He, however, suggested that security agents should undergo periodic training with focus on how to relate with operatives of other security agencies.
Oletu also suggested that security agencies should be more funded and recruitment should be consistent so that the society could be adequately policed and the borders more secure.
Mr Mike Sullivan, another expert, also blamed the present insecurity in the country on the porous borders and advised that security agencies utilised locals and build trust with the people to get tangible information.
“Security agencies should either recruit more hands or utilise the local vigilante in maintenance of law and order in the country,” Sullivan said.
He, however, commended the Commissioner of Police in the state, Edgal Imohimi, for bridging the gap between the people and the police through community policing.
He said that police in Lagos, especially the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), should also be commended for fostering synergy with other security agencies whenever there was an emergency.
NAN reports that Lagos State has 130 police divisions and 35 Area Commands. The state is also home to 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, the Western Naval Command and the Nigerian Air Force Logistics Command.
Among other security breaches experienced in Lagos, the experts said, were violation of traffic laws by motorists, especially commercial drivers, causing gridlocks at bus stops.
Closely related to this is the menace of Agberos (road transport workers) who constitute nuisance to commuters, they said.
MR Jide Ogungbe, Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), said that the agency had robust relationship with sister security agencies.
Ogungbe, a Superintendent of Immigration, said the command had recently organised a capacity building programme for all the divisional immigration officers where officials of the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, served as resource persons.
Rotimi Oladokun, Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Lagos State Command, said there was excellent synergy between the service and sister security agencies in the state.
Oladokun said that the synergy had brought about a regular monthly interaction between the Controller of Prisons in the state, Tunde Ladipo and the heads of other security agencies in the state.
