NSCDC VOW TO DISCHARGE NATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS SAYS GANA

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, says the NSCDC is now strategically positioned to excel in the discharge of its constitutional mandate nationwide, eulogizing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari and the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Bello Dambazzau, for having faith in the Civil Defence.

The CG made this lofty assertion during a media chat with the projectors of ICON and CHIEF EXECUTIVES MEDIA FIRM in his office at the Corps National Headquarters, Abuja.

Abdullahi noted, that the Civil Defence is a worldwide organization and their duties all over the globe is unique, as they are into Disaster Management of both natural and man-made, they carry out search and rescue operations and mitigate in Crisis situations.

The helmsman pointed out that, the NSCDC while carrying the above, also Regulate the activities of the Private Guards Company (PGC) in Nigeria, which he said the Agency has really excelled in sanitizing the sector, by nurturing and tending it towards a world class posture. He explained that strict regulatory guidelines are already in place to guide the establishment and overall conducts of the PGCs nationwide as a foreigner is not allowed to set up any PGC in Nigeria, only Nigerians, especially retired military Personnel are favoured to register any PGC nationwide.

Gana disclosed that the NSCDC has put in place incentives to encourage the PGCs by providing free trainings and feeding at the Corps PGC training school in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and an articulated policy is already in place to provide PGCs Personnel to have a unique identification cards, and to complement Regular Security Agencies in intelligence gathering and other duties as may be specified from time to time by the Corps to meet contemporary challenges.

Muhammadu decried the mayhem perpetrated by militants on pipelines in the Niger Delta, which has brought about untold quantum economic losses to the nation in general. He frowned at the level of catastrophe unleashed on the Assets of the country, noting that the kind of weapons used by the militants can only be matched if the Security Agencies have such weapons to face them and totally dislodge them. The CG thanked the National Security Adviser, for the assistance in setting up the Command and Control Centre which the Agency uses to monitor activities in the South South. He called for more assistance from Government and Stakeholders to aid the NSCDC in establishing Command and Control Centres to monitor nefarious activities in the remaining Geo-Political zones of the country.

The Leader of the Civil Defence explained that the Command and Control Centres when set-up, will really aid the Corps. According to him, ” The vandals are a very organized group who carry out their activities in the manner they do, with these facilities in place, their activities and all forms of acts inimical to the growth of Nigeria, perpetrated by other social vices will be completely wiped out and the country will grow in giant strides economically, and the development pace monumental ”.

Another area of utmost importance highlighting further, is the protection of Critical Infrastructure, which includes the protection of Pipelines, Electricity facilities, Railway lines, Communications Mast and National Assets. This task is enormous as lots of Personnel have been deployed to man these facilities.

The Chief Accounting Officer posited that 2,300 personnel have already been deployed to the North East, to be completed by another 2,700 to make up 5,000 personnel to protect the IDPs and liberated areas in the North East as directed by the Minister of Interior . Pointing out that another 3,000 have been deployed to Mining sites across the country. He further disclosed that in a meeting with the Agriculture Minister, another 5,000 personnel are needed to man the Agro Allied sector as investors are warming up to storm the sector, and proper and adequate security need to be in place to guide against acts that may be inimical to the sector.

The Chief Executive Officer revealed, that when he travelled to Moscow for the Civil Defence exhibitions, he saw lots of things that made him realize that a lot still needs to be done in the NSCDC. On presenting the matter to the Honourable Minister of Interior, on his arrival, the Minister told him to be patient that we will get there.

The Corps helmsman thanked the President and Commander-in-Chief President Muhammadu Buhari for having the good of the Corps at heart always,, noting that, the Corps have never had it so good as it is now. He appreciated the Minister Of Interior, Dr. Abdulrahman Dambazzau for always doing the needful to uplift the NSCDC.

Gana also thanked the Chief of Naval staff for the maximum cooperation given the NSCDC by the Nigerian Navy, in that the vandals handed over to the Corps have been convicted.

Muhammadu admonished Nigerians not to lose hope no matter the situation, that one day, one will surely succeed in life