By Muftau Ogunyemi

Brig. Gen. Raymond Utsaha, the Brigade Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment Akure, says the brigade is to collaborate with other security agencies in the state to protect lives and property.

Utsaha made  the call on Monday in Akure during a courtesy visit to the office of the commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ondo State in the command headquarters.

The commander that said security was  a collective responsibility, which had to be shouldered by all  security agencies.

He said that his visit to the NSCDC was informed by the need to strenghten the long existing relationship between the 32 Brigade Artillery Regiment and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ondo State Command.

In his response, the state Commandant, NSCDC Ondo State Command, Eweka Edenabu, said that the army had always taken the lead in enforcing the security of the country.

Edanabu said that with the sustained collaboration with the NSCDC, the fight against crimes and criminality in the state had been highly professional.

He said the command had enjoyed cordial working relationship with the brigade overtime and the level of synergy had enhanced the continuous success recorded in the Crocodile Smile Operations and other joint task force operations.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that  the two  commanders had  earlier pledged to continue the collaborative work toward combating all forms of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, cultism, vandalism and herders/farmers clashes, among others in  the state. (NAN)