DSS DG calls for joint action against terrorism in North-West
The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi, has called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, government institutions and communities to tackle terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities in the North-West.
Ajayi made the call in Katsina on Thursday at the second North-West Zonal Conference of State Directors of Security, organised by the DSS with the theme, “Unite Against Terror.”
The DSS boss, who was represented by the Chairman, North-West Forum of State Directors of Security and Kano State Director of Security, Husseini Abubakar, said the conference provided an opportunity for security stakeholders to review the evolving security situation in the region, share operational experiences and develop effective strategies to contain terrorism and banditry.
According to him, “This edition of the Northwest SDSS Conference gives us another opportunity to compare notes, share experiences, assess evolving and endemic security challenges, particularly the threat of banditry, and devise appropriate containment strategies in the effort to secure our communities.”
Ajayi said the DSS was also strengthening the tactical capabilities of its personnel to enable the Service to respond more effectively to emerging security threats.
He commended the existing synergy among security and law enforcement agencies in the region, describing such collaboration as essential to securing communities.
“As we go into the technical session, I am optimistic and we should bear in mind that the war against terror is a task that must be accomplished,” he said.
In his welcome address, the Katsina State Director of Security, Alhassan Iliyasu, said the conference was aimed at strengthening intelligence-led operations and developing a common regional strategy against insecurity.
Iliyasu said the theme, “Unite Against Terror,” underscored the need for collective action, stressing that securing communities could not be left solely to security agencies.
“By uniting against terror, it involves everybody, not only the security agencies, but the entire society,” he said.
He said Katsina State had adopted a community-based security approach involving government, security agencies, community watch structures and vigilante groups in responding to security threats.
“If you observe in Katsina State, that theme, ‘Unite Against Terror,’ is no longer news because we live as one family. At any point in time, however late the day is, whoever you call among the action agencies, we are responding,” Iliyasu said.
He said the conference would enable participants to critically examine security challenges confronting the North-West, review existing countermeasures and develop renewed strategies against banditry and related criminal activities.
Iliyasu disclosed that a communique would be issued at the end of the deliberations to serve as a roadmap for coordinated security responses across the region.
“At the end of the day, after brainstorming, we will come up with a communique, and the communique will be like a roadmap that will be used or considered for effective countermeasures against banditry and related criminal organisations or criminal activities in the entire North-West,” he said.
The Katsina State Director of Security also called for greater community participation in intelligence gathering, urging residents to report suspicious activities to the relevant authorities.
“Nobody should be left behind, because it is our civic responsibility to see something and say something, to hear something and review and report,” he said.
The conference brought together State Directors of Security from Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara, alongside heads of security agencies, traditional rulers, government officials and retired security personnel.
Participants are expected to deliberate on intelligence sharing, inter-agency cooperation, community engagement and other measures aimed at strengthening the collective capacity of the seven North-West states to confront terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of organised crime.
