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Tag: Emmanuel Okeh

  • NSCDC train 20,000 personnel on arms bearing – Spokesman

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) trained over 20,000 of its personnel on use of arms for security operations in the country, Corps Public Relations Officer (PRO) Emmanuel Okeh, said on Friday.

    Okeh told our reporter in Abuja that the 20,000 were from all NSCDC commands in the country.

    He said the training followed directive from Ministry of Interior that personnel of the corps should be trained to use arms.

    He added that “ìnstead of the corps having an armed squad, the training should be for all personnel.

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    “All personnel should be trained on arms bearing so that when the need arises; there will not be a
    vacuum.

    “In case of emergency, any personnel can be directed at any time for an operation.”

    The corps PRO said the use of arms had gone beyond narrowing it down to selected few for operations, noting that training and retraining of personnel was ongoing.

    He explained that “training departments of the corps’ commands in states would continue to
    organise in-house training to ensure all were trained.”

    The spokesman said that personnel of the corps could not be deployed to protect sensitive areas without undergoing training in both state and federal levels.

    NAN

  • NSCDC urges unlicensed security guards companies to stop operating

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) has urged all unlicensed Security Guard Companies in the country to stop operating.

    The Corps Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Emmanuel Okeh, made the call in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.

    Okeh said such companies were operating illegally and that the corps was working hard to curb their activities.

    He said the corps would clamp down on all such illegal operators and that it had instructed its personnel to monitor their activities.

    “The corps will from time to time be sending its personnel around to monitor the operations of various companies and ensure that those operating are licensed,” he said.

    The PRO of the NSCDC said that the establishment of the Licensed Private Security Guards Association of Nigeria had made monitoring easier as the body was tasked to ensure that every unlicensed private guard company found operating was reported to the corps.

    He warned that any unlicensed private security guard companies found operating illegally would be shut and the owner arrested and taken to court.

    He said such owner if found guilty, would be sentenced to seven years imprison.

    Okeh further said that those security guard companies found with expired licences would have their offices sealed and before unsealing them, the operators would pay a fine of N200,000 for a Grade A offence and N100,000 for a Grade B offence.

    NAN

  • NSCDC moves to address personnel’s housing needs

    NSCDC moves to address personnel’s housing needs

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) has moved to key into the Federal Government’s housing policy to address the accommodation needs of its personnel.

    Spokesman of the Corps, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

    Okeh said the Commandant General (CG) of the Corps, Mr Abdullahi Gana, announced the move while addressing officers and men of the Corps at its headquarters in Abuja.

    According to him, Gana directed relevant officers in the agency to work out modalities in that regard.

    The officers include the Commandant in charge of housing, and the President of the NSCDC Staff Multi-purpose Cooperative Society.

    They were also directed to shop for developers that “are ready to build houses for the personnel at affordable costs in NSCDC Commands nationwide.

    “The CG re-assured the personnel that under his leadership they would get their entitlements without favouratism or lobbying, stressing that he belongs to everybody in the Corps.

    “Gana, therefore, charged the personnel to always channel their grievances through appropriate quarters and shun rumour mongering,” the spokesman said.

    The NSCDC boss had said that the recent “re-integration of next of kins of deceased personnel” into the Corps, was misunderstood by many as a recruitment/replacement exercise.

    He stated that fraudsters also capitalised on it to defraud desperate job seekers.

    “But we cannot be deterred because it is the only way of compensating the families of those we lost in the line of duty.

    “I am using this opportunity to reiterate my advice to job applicants to be careful so as not to fall victims of the antics of scammers.

    “As soon soon we get presidential approval to recruit, the Corps will place employment advertisement in national dailies and not online,” Okeh quoted him as saying.

  • NSCDC sets up special squad for Bama

    NSCDC sets up special squad for Bama

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has set up a special squad to boost security operations in Bama community of Borno.

    Spokesman of the Corps, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, said the squad was codenamed Special Bama Squad (SBS).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bama was declared an “Islamic Caliphate’’ by Boko Haram terrorists, who captured it along with Gwoza in 2014.

    But Nigerian troops reclaimed the community in 2015, and reconstruction works are ongoing in areas destroyed by the terrorists.

    Okeh stated that the Commandant-General (CG) of the NSCDC, Mr Abdullahi Gana, announced the squad while addressing members of management, and zonal and state commandants of the agency in Abuja.

    He quoted the CG as saying that the move was in compliance with a recent directive by the Federal Government to security agencies to beef up their presence in the North-East.

    The government, according to him, specifically directed the Army, NSCDC and the Police to provide 1,500 personnel each to Bama.

    They were mandated to receive the Emir of Bama and other returning IDPs, in addition to providing adequate protection for the civil populace of the community.

    “The Special Bama Squad is an additional number of personnel who will carry out round-the-clock patrols in all the nooks and crannies of Bama community and its suburbs.

    “They have been mandated to synergise with other security agencies in the Bama axis,’’ Gana said.

  • NSCDC dispels rumours of recruitment

    NSCDC dispels rumours of recruitment

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) has dispelled rumours that the Corps was “recruiting underground” and carrying out replacement exercise.

    The Corps Public Relations Officer, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, said this in a statement in Abuja.

    Okeh said the Commandant-General (CG) of the Corps, Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, had urged  job seekers and the general public to disregard the rumour.

    Muhammadu said the false information was a gimmick being peddled by fraudsters to defraud unsuspecting applicants of their hard earned money.

    He noted that a number of unemployed Nigerian youths had shown interest in enlisting in the Corps.

    “And this has attracted some dubious individuals who have resorted to spreading false news and sending text messages to them on non-existing recruitment and replacement exercises,” he said.

    The NSCDC CG stated categorically that the Corps would advertise its existing vacancies before the end of the year for interested candidates to apply.

    This, he said, would be done as soon as fund was made available to the corps.

    He said that the documentation and data capturing exercise for personnel presently going on at the State Commands of the Corps nationwide was being misconstrued by criminally minded individuals to mean recruitment or replacement exercise.

    He said further that the fraudsters were all out to take the advantage of the ongoing exercise to drive home their aim of defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians.

    “That due to the forthcoming promotion exercise, the Corps is only issuing old letters of appointment and promotion to personnel who merited it.

    “But for administrative reasons they were unable to receive their letters in the last exercise conducted and it is expedient for them to document at this point in time due to the forthcoming promotion exercise,” he said.

    The CG, therefore, advised applicants to exercise patience and wait for the appropriate time the Corps would advertise its existing vacancies in major National Newspapers.

  • U.S National Guard to train NSCDC personnel

    U.S National Guard to train NSCDC personnel

    The California National Guard, U.S., has offered to train personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in peace, security and emergency response in line with international best practices.

    The Adjutant General of the California National Guard, Maj.-Gen. David Baldwin, disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Abdullahi Muhammadu.

    The NSCDC spokesperson, Emmanuel Okeh, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    Baldwin ‎assured the NSCDC of priority attention especially to the areas of Disaster Management, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Security, Aviation, Fire prevention, Medical, Training and re-training of officers.

    He stressed that capacity building was a very critical area of manpower development and the technological enhancement of security agencies in combating insecurity in the society.

    He also proposed that some officers of the Corps could be trained in the U.S in the afore-mentioned areas to become specialists in them.

    The Commandant-General ‎briefed the visitor on the history and core mandate of the Corps.

    He said th‎at the NSCDC officials needed more capacity building and training to tackle issues such as pipeline vandalism, illegal mining and protection of lives and property.

    The California National Guard officials had earlier visited the Ministry of Interior and some services under the ministry to strengthen collaboration.

  • NSCDC, DISCOs, partner to combat vandalism of electrical installations

    NSCDC, DISCOs, partner to combat vandalism of electrical installations

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) are collaborating to fight vandalism of electricity installations in the country.

    The Spokesperson of the Corps, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    “We are working closely with the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to ensure adequate protection for these critical assets to avoid vandalism by unscrupulous elements,’’ Okeh said.

    He also said that the Corps had stepped up surveillance around electricity installations in the country to stem the tide of vandalism of the critical national asset.

    He said the Commandant-General of the Corps, Abdullahi Muhammadu, had directed all State Commands and the Arms Squad to work closely with the various Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to ensure adequate protection for the facilities.

    He said that the NSCDC had also intensified its enlightenment campaign in the media to dissuade members of the public from engaging in such “criminal act and economic sabotage’’.

    Okeh said that the Corps had recently arrested and paraded some vandals caught stealing armoured cables belonging to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) based on its surveillance.

    He called on communities where these installations were domiciled to always promptly report any acts of vandalism to the NSCDC or the nearest security post.

    The NSCDC spokesperson also emphasised the need for more intelligence, logistics and patrol vehicles to enable the Corps to properly protect the numerous critical infrastructure in the country such as Electricity, Telecommunication installations and oil pipelines scattered across the country.

    The AEDC’s Head of Public Relations and Media, Mr Ahmed Shekarau, confirmed that the company was partnering with the NSCDC to fight the menace.

    “We have a multi-purpose strategy to check the menace; you remember we had visited the Commandant–General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) on the partnership.

    “We have also visited the Inspector–General of Police , and he has agreed that the Force will collaborate with the AEDC to achieve the objective,’’ Shekarau said.

    He told NAN that vandalism of electrical installations was a major challenge to the operations of the company.

    NAN reports that activities of vandals had occurred in many areas in the FCT,especially in the Central Business District, and in such satellite towns as Lugbe, Kuje, Kubwa and Nyanya, resulting in power outage there.

    Shekarau said the number of cases of vandalism of the company’s installations assets was on the increase.

    “If I tell you the number of vandalism in Lugbe, last month alone, you will be shocked, and if I tell you the number of cables that were vandalised in Kuje, between last month and this month, you will also be shocked,” he said.

    He said that the AEDC was engaging members of the communities concerned to curtail the menace.

    “We are engaging with the communities on this issue, because if you look at the city centres where you even have light, you have street light, yet people still go and vandalise them; and in some of the places, the vandalism takes place in broad daylight,’’ The AEDC spokesman said.

  • Pipeline vandalism: NSCDC seeks host communities’ cooperation

    Pipeline vandalism: NSCDC seeks host communities’ cooperation

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has called on communities in the Niger Delta to volunteer more information on activities of pipeline vandals to enable the Corps flush them out.

    The NSCDC Spokesperson, Mr. Emmanuel Okeh said that the Commandant-General of the Corps, Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu had ordered NSCDC officials to evolve new strategies and redouble their efforts in tackling the menace.

    Okeh said that more than 20 illegal refineries and 100 suspects were recently arrested in the region following intelligence report.

    He explained that the NSCDC had also established a 24- hour Command and Control Centre in Abuja as part of plans to enhance its surveillance on the pipelines.

    The spokesperson also stressed the importance of the cooperation and support of host communities to enable the NSCDC improve its operation in the region.

    “With the support and cooperation of host communities in the Niger Delta, I can assure you that our operations will be enhanced.

    “We need all the necessary information on the activities and hideouts of these vandals from the host communities, he said.

    Okeh described pipeline vandalism and illegal refineries as economic sabotage and environment hazard capable of destroying a nation.

     He said that the NSCDC would continue to collaborate with other security agencies like the Navy to stem the tide of vandals in the Niger Delta.

     

  • NSCDC partners Russia’s Ministry of Civil Defence

    NSCDC partners Russia’s Ministry of Civil Defence

    The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Gana, on Wednesday said the Corps would partner with the Ministry of Civil Defence, Russia, on capacity building.

     

    This is contained in a statement signed by Emmanuel Okeh, the Corps’ Spokesperson and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

     

    According to the statement, Gana made the remarks during a courtesy call on him by Mr Nikolay Udovichenko, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Russia to the Corps’ National Headquarters.

     

    Gana said the collaboration between the NSCDC and its Russian counterpart would grow until it reached enviable heights.

     

    He maintained that he was very desirous of moving the Corps forward, adding that he was very pleased with the positive response from Russia.

     

    The Corps helmsman noted that the Corps was in dire need of more training on disaster management and protection of critical infrastructure, as well as the Private Guard Company department.

     

    In his remarks, Mr Udovichenko, who was accompanied by Denis Bukshnaitis, his Attaché, said the Russian Federation through the Ministry of Civil Defence, Russia, was very delighted to partner with the NSCDC.

     

    Udovichenko stressed that they would ensure that the NSCDC succeeded in delivering on its mandate by providing very robust capacity building for the personnel of the Corps.

     

    He disclosed that the Russian Ministry of Civil Defence was made up of 17 functional and active departments, adding that he believed strongly that the NSCDC would benefit immensely from the partnership.

     

    The Envoy also invited the commandant-general to pay a working visit to Russia in order to visit the Russian Civil Defence and discuss as well as explore more ways in which the needs of the Corps could be met.