Insecurity: NSCDC to hold zonal commandants responsible for attacks on govt facilities


Following incessant attacks on public infrastructures across the country by the unknown gunmen and terrorists, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has held a strategi security meeting with zonal and state Commandants.

At the meeting, the Commandant General of the Corps Ahmed Abubabar Audi, said henceforth, both state Commandants and Zonal Commanders would be liable for attack on the government facilities in their domains.

Addressing a gathering of senior officers, zonal and state leaders of the Corps, Tuesday at the strategic meeting on how to end attacks, Audi warned the state and zonal Commandants to ensure that government assets in their area of responsibilities are secured.

He said: “The kind of conflict we are facing is the one that has held countries to ransom. You must brace up and live up to expectation, especially considering our core mandate.

“We all know that the NSCDC is a the lead agency in the area of protection of critical national assets. You are charged to ensure the protection of these assets.

“Henceforth, any Commandants who are not doing would be sanctioned. You are to liaise with the Controllers of Correctional Services. Zonal Commandants should ensure they coordinate operations, they would be answerable to when there’s any attack on the facilities. I have called you to this meeting to read the riot act to you. The Nigerian citizens are putting high hope on us to collaborate with other security agencies to find a lasting solution to insecurity in the country.

“Those of you serving in the South-south where we have our oil facilities and companies, you must ensure you henceforth fight oil theives to a standstill. We have seen that overtime, the mainstay of the Nigerian economy is the crude oil.

“Henceforth, we are going to hold Commandants responsible if there is an attack on any critical national assets within your domain. You would answer for it. You must be up and doing. You must deploy your personnel to all critical national assets and infrastructures sites like Railways, Airports and pipelines.

“Also our Correctional facilities must be secured. One of the strategies applied by this hoodlums is to unleash mayhem to couse devastating effect by attacking our Correctional facilities because they have their members held there. As directed by the Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, we must help beef up security at Correctional facilities in the country,” Audi said.

Earlier, the Commandant General presented about twenty million Naira to various next of kin of some officers who lost their lives on duty.

Speaking earlier, the Head of Insurance department of the Corps, CSC Jimoh Abiola, said the Commandant General was working to ensure that backlogs are paid to families that are yet to receive their payment.

Abiola said: “I am happy to inform you that another Nineteen Million, One Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Seven Naira, Seventy-Eight Kobo only (N19,195,507.78) will be distributed in Cheques to Eighteen (18) Next of kin of our fallen heroes as part payment of their insurance benefits of which they have been credited directly with the balance.

“Today being 9th day of August, 2022 marks another indelible milestone in the history of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps with the presentation of Cheques to families of our fallen heroes.
Following the commitment of the CG to take as priority the welfare of personnel of the Corps, the Commandant General graciously approved the disbursement of over Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000.00) in March 2022 as burial benefits.

“In July 2022, he also disbursed above Two Hundred Million Naira
(N200,000,000.00) being backlog insurance benefit to over Sixty (60) beneficiaries.”