Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has called for more collaboration among security agencies in the state and North-East towards addressing security challenges in the region.
Yahaya made the call on Wednesday in Gombe, when he declared open the third quarter security meeting of state Directors of the Department of State Service (DSS) in the North-East.
The governor was represented by his deputy, Manassah Jatau.
Yahaya said that such collaboration had resulted in the operational successes being recorded in the area as well as peaceful coexistence among the residents.
He noted that security agencies were meant to complement one another and not to compete.
The governor said his administration had prioritised security and taken measures including stakeholders’ engagement to ensure peace in the state.
He added that traditional, religious and community leaders, scholars, hunters, vigilantes, youth and other voluntary bodies had been incorporated in the security architecture of the state.
“This is so on account of our conviction that many security issues will be left hanging in the balance if the issue of security is entirely left to the security personnel,” he said.
Yahaya urged participants of the two-day meeting to find solutions to addressing the different security challenges in the region.
Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Babagana Bulama and state Director, DSS, Adamawa, said the Conference of State Directors of Security (SDSes) was an initiative of the DSS.
He said it was to bring together the SDSes to brainstorm on general security situation of their respective zones.
Bulama said the meeting had given platform for robust discussions on security matters in the sub-region.
“The meeting has also given the opportunity for experience sharing, assessing threat to national security affecting the sub-region as well as analysing efforts by military, security and intelligence services in neutralising them,’’ he said.
He added that the zonal meeting was aimed at reviewing strategies and strengthening intelligence gathering efforts of service commands and ensuring efficient harmonisation and utilisation of assets, platforms and resources.
Bulama said the participants were expected to come up with solutions to guide the service commands and other stakeholders in the sub-region towards strengthening existing measures, while sustaining holistic approach in tackling security challenges.
Abba Adams, DSS director, Gombe State, commended the governor for prioritising the state’s security issues, noting that the state had remained peaceful.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Ishola Babaita, said the security agencies in the state had been working together as a team.
Babaita also noted that the collaboration among them was responsible for the peace being enjoyed in the state.(NAN)