The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Akwa Ibom has urged private security companies to collaborate with security agencies to tackle insecurity.

Jonathan Olariche, NSCDC commandant in Akwa Ibom, made the call while declaring open the 2026 Private Security Companies Summit in Uyo on Wednesday.

The theme of the summit is: “Combating Insecurity and Building Capacity Among Private Security Practitioners in Akwa Ibom State.”

The summit was organised by the Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN) in collaboration with the NSCDC Command in Akwa Ibom.

Represented by his deputy, Joseph Gbarasung, Mr Olariche said effective collaboration and capacity building among private security practitioners would promote the campaign against insecurity.

The commandant urged private security guards to work closely with the NSCDC and other security agencies by sharing timely information on crime and suspicious activities.

He also urged private security firm owners to build the capacity of their staff through regular training to equip them to respond professionally to security challenges.

He described the summit as “timely and imperative”, saying that contemporary security challenges required a collaborative approach involving statutory security agencies and private security operators.

In a keynote address, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Waterways, Koko Essien (rtd), said that emerging security threats required private security firms to upgrade their technology.

Mr Essien urged the NSCDC to strengthen surveillance and ensure transparency in the registration of private security firms to check irregularities.

The commissioner called for an overhaul of the legislative framework and private security registration process in view of emerging security threats.

Earlier, the ALPSPN Chairman in Akwa Ibom, Etetim Onuk, said that security required effective collaboration rather than isolation to ensure the effective protection of lives and property.

Mr Onuk said that the timing of the summit was significant, especially as the nation was approaching the general elections.

“Intelligence gathering and information sharing are indispensable tools for preventing violence and ensuring peaceful elections, particularly in rural communities.

“Our members must be willing partners in providing credible information and supporting the statutory security agencies,” he said.

He warned private security personnel against involvement in cultism, stating that such involvement would strip them of trust.

(NAN)