Blog

The Lagos Chapter of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) has called for a strategic partnership between the private security industry and government-controlled security agencies to tackle insecurity in Nigeria.

The association’s chairman, Mrs. Joko Olanitori, said that such a partnership would be crucial for addressing the country’s “perennial insecurity.”

She pointed out that there are millions of private security operatives in Nigeria, and that they could be a valuable resource for gathering and sharing security intelligence.

Olanitori also said that the private security industry has expertise in areas such as risk assessment and threat analysis, which could be used to complement the work of government security agencies.

In his keynote address, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Dr. Solomon Arase, agreed that public-private partnerships are essential for improving security.

He said that such partnerships could lead to “improved security outcomes” by leveraging the resources and expertise of both the private and public sectors.

Arase also noted that security is a “critical” factor for economic growth, and that partnerships between the private and public sectors could help to create a more secure environment for businesses.

The ASIS leadership retreat also included sessions on edutainment, business networking, and knowledge sharing.

The association said that it is committed to working with stakeholders to “promote meaningful synergy” between the private security industry and public security institutions in Nigeria.

These collaborations, Arase added, could foster economic growth, as security plays a critical role in investor confidence. In his contribution, Brig.-Gen. Idam Ogbonna Agachi (rtd) advised the private security industry to embrace introspection and initiate collaboration with government institutions to bring about the much-needed positive change.

“To transform the current situation, society must first engage in introspection and subsequently collaborate with the public sector,” he said.

Assistant Regional Vice President of ASIS International Region 11A, Peter Okoloh, reiterated the significance of a secured handshake between the private and public sectors. He stressed that a significant number of private security operatives in Nigeria are embedded within local communities, enabling them proximity to valuable intelligence.

Okoloh noted that seamless collaboration between the private sector and statutory security bodies is vital for effective security solutions.

Also contributing, Director of Security Risk Advisory & Consulting at Halogen Group, Dr. Wale Adeagbo, while acknowledging the inevitability of the handshake, canvassed a holistic approach requiring redefinition of and broader scoping of all stakeholders in security.

He said compartmentalising the stakeholders in the security sector is insufficient.

“Everyone needs to be involved. It goes beyond a handshake. It is inevitable due to the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous nature of our current existential environment,” he submitted.

The yearly retreat, hosted by the international industrial security body, consisted of edutainment sessions, business networking and extensive knowledge sharing among members.