Brigadier General John Agim
Brigadier General John Agim DDI
FOSSRAMembers in Calabar
Counter-Terrorism: DHQ Seeks Vital
Information
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has sought useful information from
the public to boost intelligence gathering in the fight against
Boko Haram terrorists and criminal elements in the country.
The Director Defence Information, Brigadier General John Agim
made the appeal at a capacity building workshop for Forum of
Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA) in
Calabar, Cross River State.
The theme of the workshop is ‘Global Terrorism and Crisis of
Narratives: The Challenges of Nigeria Security Spokespersons’.
Agim called on Nigerians to always give useful information that
could help security agencies in the fight against insurgency,
militancy and sundry crimes in Nigeria.
According to him, security is not a sole prerogative of the
military, adding that the Nigerian public must contribute their
quota in the fight.
“Any Nigerian who is up to the age of 25 and has never given
useful information to any security agency before is not doing the
right thing.
“We need useful information from Nigerians to tackle Boko-Haram,
militancy and other criminals in the country.
“Security is not exclusive to security agencies, Nigerians must
assist us because it is not the army that is fighting insurgency
but Nigerians.
“We should stop looking at the fight against insecurity as the
sole prerogative of the military and other security agencies
alone.
“Nigerians must be involved; we need them to defeat all forms of
insecurity,” he said.
He identified the absence of intelligence information gathering
as the bane of Nigeria’s security challenges.
“Nigerians must realise that it is their money that is used in
paying our salaries and buying all equipment, hardware, including
the uniforms we wear.
“Intelligence gathering is a mutual trust. There must be synergy
between the members of the public as well as security agencies.
“As security agencies we must deliberately create programmes
that will make people to voluntarily give out useful information
without being afraid,’’ he said.
Agim said that FOSSRA provides a veritable platform in helping
the military to carry the citizens along.
Other speakers at the occasion included Mr. Kamonke Abam who
spoke on “Public Relations in the Reduction of Nigeria Security
Challenges,” Yushau Shuaib spoke on “Contemporary Issues in Public
Relations,” and Dr. George Atelhe who delivered a paper on “The
Role of Amnesty International in Policing African Security: Nigeria
In Focus”
A Communique is expected at the end of the Workshop.
By PRNigeria