By BUSAYO ONIJALA

The Department of State Services (DSS) says collaboration among relevant agencies of government is necessary to enhance intelligence gathering to combat transnational crimes.

Mr Peter Afunanya, Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications, DSS, said this on Thursday in Lagos at a lecture organised by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).

The lecture had the theme, “Managing National Security and Law Enforcement Intelligence in a Globalised world.”

Representing Alhaji Yusuf Bichi, the Director-General of DSS, Afunanya said strengthening intelligence exchange among related agencies across the world and allocation of resources to research were some ways to enhance intelligence gathering.

He said the intelligence community should collaborate with private sector organisations to harness their expertise in cyber security, technology, and data analytics, enhancing overall intelligence capabilities.

According to Afunanya, intelligence is a critical element that unifies both national security and law enforcement efforts.

He said it involved the collection, analysis and dissemination of information to support decision-making and protect a country’s interests, adding that it helped detect and counter foreign espionage activities.

“It aids in threat assessment and proactive measures to forestall, curtail and mitigate security challenges as well as coordinating emergencies such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks to ensure public safety,” said Afunanya.

He explained that the role of DSS in law enforcement and national security included vetting of prospective appointees to public offices and provision of timely advice to government on all matters of national security interest.

He said it was also saddled with the responsibility of providing protective security for designated principal, government functionaries, sensitive installations and vetting foreign dignitaries.

Speaking on challenges in managing national security in Nigeria, Afunanya highlighted issues including transnational organised crime, terrorism and insurgency, ethnic and communal conflicts, technological challenges, mutation threat, among others.

According to him, the DSS enforces actions to curtail threats and arrests or prosecutes suspected individuals, groups with intent to cause security breach, and conducts national security education and sensitisation programmes for the populace and other stakeholders.

Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, Director-General, NIIA, noted that security was every citizen’s business, adding that the synergy and collaboration between overt and covert security interventions could not be over-emphasised.

According to him, everyone that has a stake in security must work together for a common purpose.

“We need civic engagement that is built on pillars of nationalism, patriotism and duty to one’s fatherland.

“All of us need to be reminded that this is the one country that we all have and nobody is going to like or love our country better than ourselves.

“Everything that makes the country better makes us better and security is part of it,” Osaghae said. (NAN)

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