Govt, private security outfits must collaborate, says Arase

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr Solomon Arase, has said collaboration among security agencies and their private counterpart will foster economic growth in Nigeria.

In a statement, Arase said this recently at the 2023 leadership retreat organised by the Lagos Chapter 206 of the American Society for Industrial Security at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan.

Arase who is a former Inspector General of Police, emphasized the pivotal role of public-private partnership in enhancing security.

“Such partnerships can lead to improved security outcomes by leveraging the private sector’s resources and expertise to complement the government’s efforts. Additionally, these collaborations can foster economic growth, as security plays a critical role in investor confidence.”

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, ASIS Chapter 206, Mrs. Joko Olanitori, reiterated the importance of fostering strategic and structured partnerships between Nigeria’s private security industry and government-controlled security agencies.

She said that this year’s event was themed, ‘Secured Handshake: A public and private sector imperative for effective security operations and practice in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world’.

Olanitori said the collaboration is viewed as crucial for achieving the much-required progress in addressing the perennial issues of insecurity in the country.

She said the event was aimed at developing innovative solutions to address the escalating insecurity in Nigeria and promoting knowledge sharing and best practices among ASIS members.

Olanitori stressed the urgent need for structured and formalised engagement between Nigerian public security agencies like the Army, Nigerian Navy, Air Force, Police, Department of State Service, and others, with the private security industry, to effectively address the growing insecurity in the country.

However, Brigadier-General Idam Agachi (Rtd), urged the private security industry to engage in introspection and initiate collaboration with government institutions to bring about the much-needed positive change.