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Tag: Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)

  • NSCDC urges unity, peace among Muslims, Christians

    NSCDC urges unity, peace among Muslims, Christians

     

    The Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Muhammadu Gana, has called on Muslims and Christians to live in peace and harmony to ensure national development.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, on Monday in Abuja.

    It said Gana made the call when he hosted the Faith Watch Summit for the two religions – Islam and Christianity, held at the Civil Defence College Academy Hall, Sauka, Abuja.

    He was represented by Acting Deputy Commandant-General, Critical Infrastructure, Dr Emmanuel Adeoye.

    “As a Security Outfit of Government, We in the NSCDC owe it a duty to within the purview of the Law, do everything to ensure security, peace and harmony of the citizenry.

    “This epoch making gathering is an eloquent testimony to this vision.

    “Today, Nigeria as a nation is being plagued by several security threats such as terrorism, armed robbery and kidnapping, religious extremism, vandalism of National Assets and Infrastructure, corruption and impunity and other social vices,’’ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit was convened at the instance of the Inter-religious organisations in conjunction with NSCDC to focus on ways to de-escalate the progression of conflicts brought about by religious intolerance, hate sermons and lack of mutual religious respect.

    It said that the principal goal was to enhance the impact of religious understanding for national security and development.

    Speaking at the Occasion, Rev. Yusufu Obaje said peaceful co-existence was a divine imperative planned by God himself.

    “It is a divine decree of the Almighty God that all His creation should live together because the human nature warrants for we depend on each other.

    “We need a culture of spiritual rebirth. God gave us these religions as a means to worship Him, but it should not be turned into tool of destruction,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, Malam Ibrahim Jega, the Executive Secretary, National Mosque Management Board, said that once wrong acts were committed, it should not be attributed to either Islam or Christianity.

    Jega said that those acts should be seen from the individual or groups perpetrating those nefarious acts, saying that Boko Haram and other terrorist organisations were all on their own.

    “Understanding is key for Christians and Muslims to enable each other know why each behave the way they do, thus, leading to appreciating each other,’’ he said.

    He urged media organisations to desist from sensational news reporting, and be objective in their reportage.

  • NSCDC arrests three for pipeline vandalism in Ebonyi

    NSCDC arrests three for pipeline vandalism in Ebonyi

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ebonyi on Thursday announced the arrest of a 20-year-old woman and two men for vandalising oil pipelines.

    Briefing newsmen in Abakaliki, the Commandant, Mrs Chinwe Kannu, said that the suspects were arrested on Tuesday at Ivo Local Government Area in a border community between Ebonyi and Abia.

    Kannu said that the suspects were arrested by 5 p.m. by officers of the command on patrol as they scooped diesel from a punctured pipeline.

    “They will be prosecuted as we are legally mandated by law to do.

    “Items recovered from them include one 50-litre container of diesel, four 25-litre containers of diesel, buckets, funnels and sieving instruments used to scoop petroleum products,” she said.

    The commandant also said that the command contained the spillage of diesel from a tanker which was involved in an accident at Abaomege area of Ebonyi.

    “My officers rushed to the scene on receiving a distress call on Tuesday and cordoned off the place to ensure the safety of travelers and inhabitants of the area.

    “The inhabitants rushed out to scoop the spilled diesel but it, however, did not pose threat to life and no injury was recorded,” she said.

    The commandant said that officers of the command also discovered a ‘cart’ laden with four 50- litre containers of diesel which was abandoned inside a bush at Ishiagu in Ivo.

     

  • Court dismisses NSCDC’s appeal on judgment voiding sack of staff

    The Court of Appeal, Abuja division has dismissed an appeal filed by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) against the judgment by the National Industrial Court (NIC) reinstating 181 of its (NSCDC’s) personnel wrongly dismissed.

    The National Industrial Court (NIC) had, in a judgment on March 19, 2015 ordered the NSCDC to reinstate the sacked staff led by Oboni Musa, with their full emoluments from the time they were illegally dismissed.

    Justice Oluseun Adefolake of the NIC in the judgment directed the NSCDC to return the employment letters to the affected 180 personnel and ordered it to pay all arrears of their salaries amounting to about N1.2 billion.

    Justice Adefolake also restrained the NSCDC from further tampering with the employment of the affected personnel.

    “Having reviewed the evidence before the court and the submissions of counsel, it is obvious that the Commandant General of the NSCDC was not diligent enough in the recruitment.

    Dissatisfied, NSCDC, the Director, Civil Defence, Immigration and Prisons Service Board (who were respondents at the NIC) appealed the judgment, but failed to diligently prosecute it.

    A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Moore Adumein, in a ruling, upheld the respondents’ request and dismissed the appeal “for lack of diligent prosecution.”

  • Drama as G-15 members convene sitting at KOGI assembly

    Drama as G-15 members convene sitting at KOGI assembly

    Drama was not in short supply Thursday at the Kogi State House of Assembly, as the G-15 members, including speaker, Momohjimoh Lawal convened sitting after months of shutout by the G-5 members, led by Hon. Unar Imam.

    The G-15 lawmakers came fully ready, including the mace-bearing Sergeant-at-arms.

    Lawal was reinstated by the Federal High Court in Abuja last week.

    From the main entrance, to the assembly complex where there was heavy presence of security details, including the police, operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), when they arrived the complex, the G-15 members made to commence plenary, but found the gate under lock and key.

    After verbal altercations between them and the security agents, the main gate and chamber door were forced open to enable them begin the business of the day.

    The security agents made to prevent the lawmakers, but they stood their ground, with some of them shouting, “kill us now, kill us now, kill us now, as they moved towards the hallow chamber where they sat briefly and conducted legislative duty.

    It was gathered that the assembly staff who had earlier reported for the day’s work were instructed to leave.

    They were said to have locked their offices when information filtered in that the G-15 members were on their way to resume.

    It was hinted that the Chief of Staff to Imam instructed the workers to close down the complex and go into hiding.

    At the plenary session, Deputy Majority leader, Hon. Sunday Shigaba moved the motion for the lifting of the purported suspension of 10 members by the G-5, and called for the extension of hands of fellowship to those members on other side of the divide. It was seconded by Hon. Ade Omofaye representing Ijumu constituency.

    Lawal commended the gallantry and selfless sacrifice of every member “who in the face of all the challenges stood against injustices and anti democratic tendencies at was at play”.

    He added: “Our struggle for the entrenchment of democracy in Kogi state has paid off with the judicial pronouncement made on Thursday 19th May, 2016 . Permit me to commend the judiciary for standing by the truth”.

    Motion for adjournment till 30th May, 2016 was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Mathew Kolawole and seconded by Hon. Linus Eneche.

    While the plenary session was in progress, a detachment of policemen led by the State Commissioner of Police, Yakubu Usman, arrived the assembly complex.

    With the arrival of the CP, another round of argument ensued between him and the legislators who maintained they were doing their legitimate duty as members of the Kogi State House of Assembly.

    The scene later became rowdy, as policemen began the arrest of those they described as thugs.

    The CP while fielding questions from newsmen, later at the command headquarters, said he was informed that thugs had taken over the assembly complex, hence he reinforced the detachment of police to arrest the situation.

    The DSS boss who was also on the ground, said that he was there to asses situation in the complex.

    The Police Command disclosed that it arrested four suspected thugs at the assembly complex.

    While parading the suspect at Command headquarters Lokoja, CP Yakubu Usman stated he had a distress call that thugs have invaded the Kogi House of Assembly.

    The suspect’s however protested vehemently, with one of them, Abdullahi Yakubu insisting that he is the personal assistant to Hon. Idris Ndakwo, member representing Lokoja II.

    He said they were picked at Crusher village where his principal parked his car.

    The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, last week ordered the G-15 members to return to the house and ordered that the status quo be maintained.

     

  • Pastor arrested for burying fetish items inside church

    Pastor arrested for burying fetish items inside church

    A Pastor of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Ondo state, Moses Abiodun has been arrested by the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for allegedly burying fetish items inside his church.

    The Pastor was apprehended in his church located at Ikota in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State while burying the suspected fetish items.

    It was learnt that the matter was reported to the NSCDC office by some individuals who claimed to be neighbours of the Pastor.

    The suspect was said to have confessed to the crime, but claimed that he was not using the fetish items for any spiritual purpose.

    The suspect had in his confessional statement denied being a Pastor.

    Sources said when they asked him some questions he said he was not using the items found in his church for any negative purpose but he said he was teaching his followers with the suspected fetish items.

    He said he is a prophet and not a pastor and was no longer using the place where the items were buried as church.

    But the leadership of the CAC in the state has denied the suspect, saying he was not a member neither was he a Pastor of the church.

    The church has also threatened to institute a suit against the suspect on the ground that he impersonated as a pastor of the church.

    The NSCDC official said; “we are still investigating the matter and we are likely to hand it over to the police for further investigation.

    However, the image maker of the state police command, Femi Joseph said the matter had not got to the command.

    “We have not received the case from the NSCDC but we are still expecting it,” Joseph explained.

  • Police kill two Civil Defence officers in Calabar

    Police kill two Civil Defence officers in Calabar

    Two officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were on Wednesday evening shot dead by a policeman in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

     

    An eye witness told our reporter yesterday that some armed policemen at about 7pm on that fateful Wednesday mounted a road block by the gate of the headquarters of the NSCDC in Anantigha, Calabar South, and an argument ensued when Civil Defence officers who were also armed and were returning to their station from patrol in their truck.

     

    This led to an altercation and in the process one of the armed policeman drew his gun and fired at the  Civil Defence officers, it was gathered.

     

    The Nation learnt that one of the officers, a Sergeant in the Civil Defence died on the spot while officer was rushed with bullet wounds to the hospital, but died on Thursday morning.

     

    The eyewitness said although the Civil Defence officers were armed they did not return fire, but ran into their premises after which the policemen took off.

     

    Efforts to get to the police authorities in the state to comment on the matter proved abortive, but the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Eremi Solomon, said the matter was under investigation.

     

    He said journalists would be briefed in due course.

     

  • Anambra: NSCDC arrests three illegal sand excavators

    Anambra: NSCDC arrests three illegal sand excavators

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested three suspects believed to be illegal sand excavators at a quarry in Nsugbe, Anambra East Local Government Area in the state.

     

    The state commandant of the agency, Mr. Godwin Omoreigie, made this known Tuesday in Awka, while speaking with reporters.

     

    He said that the arrest followed series of complaints by officials of the Federal Ministry of Solid Development, Abuja and a licensed company, Konaza Oil and Gas limited about the illegal mining.

     

    According to him, “The activities of illegal miners was becoming rampant in the state”

     

    “We received complaints from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development that a staff was beaten up by some illegal miners along the riverside in Onitsha when he enquired into their activity.

     

    “On March 9, we mobilized about 20 armed NSCDC officials to Nsugbe and Otuocha along Omambala/Anambra River in Anambra East local government area where we arrested three suspected illegal miners”

     

    “The arrest is to deter other unlicensed miners from excavating sands, the organization has launched a special operation to arrest defaulters across the state,” Omoreigie said.

     

    However, he refused to give out the names of the suspects, while explaining that investigations were still ongoing to arrest more culprits.

     

    He noted that the offence of illegal mining and encroachment attracts 20 million naira fine or eight years jail term if found culpable by the courts.

     

    He also said that the organization achieved a feat with the seizure of badge loaded with 100 barrels of crude oil along the Onitsha Riverine area in September, 2015.

     

    Omoreigie therefore, assured the people of the state that the command was working hard to ensure that filling stations with petroleum products do not hoard them.

     

  • NSCDC officers to check fuel hoarding nationwide

    NSCDC officers to check fuel hoarding nationwide

    The Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu on Monday disclosed that the corps had commenced deployment of personnel from all state command nationwide for proper surveillance of fuel supply across the country.

    He said the gesture was an effort to stem diversion of the product.

    Muhammadu who disclosed this during an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja noted that the move was in line with the federal government’s resolve to tackle the issue of fuel diversion which has caused monumental hardship on Nigerians.

    According to him, “The diversion of the fuel remained a major challenge in the country and that is why the deployment of personnel in all state command across the country becomes imperative to put an end to the lingering fuel scarcity. The era of fuel diversion is over. This step will remain a continuous exercises till the situation is normalized. NSCDC is more determined to chase sabotage out of business including tanker drivers, independent and major oil marketers.”

    The CG stated that the latest arrangement between the corps and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu was to ensure that the corps station his men strategically across the country to ensure that every truck from the depots get to their final destinations, while efforts are in place to provide adequate tracking system to monitor the movement of trucks.

    He said the corps was also exploring new ways to monitor and protect pipelines, especially the use of technology and sophisticated gadgets to track down vandals. “I can assure you that we are already exploring new approaches which will include the massive deployment of technology as opposed to conventional approach.”

    The NSCDC boss, who decried the spate of oil diversion and oil theft in the country, said the corps was working round the clock to stem the tide.

    Muhammadu attributed illegal diversion to corruption in the country and act of economic sabotage by criminal elements.

    He stated that the act was driven by desperation for material acquisition at expense of Nigerians.

    The commandant-general while assuring that the NSCDC would continue to do its best to ensure the security of lives and property in line with its mandate called on the media, host communities and other stakeholders to cooperate with the NSCDC and other security agencies in tackling the menace.