The new commander of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Balogun, has pledged closer operational collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Edo.

This is contained in a statement by the NCoS’s public relations officer, S C Aminu Suleman, on Friday in Benin.

Mr Balogun, according to the statement, made the pledge during a courtesy visit to the state’s controller of Correctional Service, Sunday Oyakhire.

The army commander said the visit was to familiarise with the leadership and reinforce the existing synergy between the military and the correctional service.

He noted that the mandate of the NCoS was critical to national security, stressing that “the work is not a walk in the park” and required the backing of sister agencies such as the Nigerian Army.

“I am willing to collaborate and support the efforts of the correctional service at all times so we can collectively achieve the security mandate of keeping our society safe and secure,” he said.

Responding, Mr Oyakhire, according to the statement, appreciated the new brigade commander for the early visit, describing it as a strong signal of renewed commitment to inter-agency cooperation.

He said the immediate past brigade commander was very understanding and supportive.

Mr Oyakhire added that the effective working relationship between both institutions would not only be sustained but also strengthened.

The controller briefed the army chief on the locations and operational coverage of custodial centres across the state, as well as ongoing efforts in safe custody, reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of offenders.

“Every government agency has its own constitutional mandate, and there is a need to collaborate to achieve the desired goals,” he said.

He affirmed that synergy remained central to sustaining security gains in Edo.

(NAN)