The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)

  • Eid-el-Fitr: NSCDC deploys 40,000 personnel, sniffer dogs nationwide

    Eid-el-Fitr: NSCDC deploys 40,000 personnel, sniffer dogs nationwide

    ‎The ‎Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Muhammadu, has directed that 40,000 personnel be deployed nationwide to provide security during the  celebration.

    The spokesperson of NSCDC, Emmanuel Okeh, made the disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

    ‎He said that in addition to the 40,000 personnel, sniffer dogs and specialised units such as SWAT, Special Force, CBRN, Surveillance Monitoring Team, Ambulances/Rescue Officers would also be deployed to strategic areas.

    ‎Muhammadu‎ assured Nigerians that adequate preparation had been made by the Corps to protect critical areas.

    He listed such areas to include places of worship, markets, motor parks, shopping malls, recreational centres, schools and other areas considered to be soft targets for attack by insurgents.

    He called ‎on the citizens to be extra vigilant and security conscious at all time and report strange movements and objects to security personnel and the Corps immediately.‎

    “In our efforts to fight miscreants and criminal-minded individuals, who see festive periods as the time to perpetuate their nefarious activities, all hands must be on deck in the areas of intelligence-gathering and reporting suspicious behaviour to relevant security authorities,” he said.‎

     

    He felicitated with Nigerians, especially the Muslim faithful on the Sallah celebration and urged them to continue to imbibe the spirit of peaceful co-existence and tolerance at all times.

  • Two principals divert NECO registration fees in Nasarawa State

    Two principals divert NECO registration fees in Nasarawa State

    The Nasarawa State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) alleged on Thursday that Principals of two secondary schools had diverted NECO fees paid by students.

    Its Commandant, Lawan Bashir, told newsmen in Lafia that students of the affected schools – Government Secondary School (GSS) Wakama and GSS Shekkina – did not realise that their fees had been diverted until the examination started.

    “It was after the examination started that the candidates knew that they had not been registered.

    “Their parents promptly reported the diversion to the Area Inspectorate Offices of Education in the affected locations, who brought the matter to us,” he said.

    The commandant said that the affected principals were then invited for “an amicable resolution of the matter”.

    “We employed our alternative conflict resolution mechanism and it yielded results; all the parties have agreed to the terms for the repayment of the fees to the affected candidates.

    “The Principal of GSS Shekkina has refunded more than N400,000 to 67 candidates, while his GSS Wakama counterpart has agreed to pay the money before the end of June.

    “We involved the candidates and their parents in the negotiations so as to resolve the matter without any violence that appeared imminent before we came in,” he said.

    Bashir advised members of the public to take advantage of the alternative conflict resolution department of the command to resolve similar cases instead of taking laws into their hands.

  • How Police, Army, SSS, INEC, others shared in $115m ‘Diezani bribe’ – Witness

    How Police, Army, SSS, INEC, others shared in $115m ‘Diezani bribe’ – Witness

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Thursday heard how several individuals and public officials shared in an alleged bribe of $115m paid by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, to compromise the 2015 general election.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) named the officials Thursday during the trial of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Dele Belgore before Justice Rilwan Aikawa.

    In two documents it tendered before the court, the anti-graft agency said the persons benefited from N450 million and N155, 220,000 out of the $115m (about N36 billion) Diezani cash.

    The disbursements, which the EFCC claimed were bribes, were contained in a document titled, “Security and Transportation per State”, and another one titled, “Kwara State”.

    According to the first document, the Resident Assistant Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in Kwara State at the time got N1 million cash, the Commissioner of Police (COP) in Kwara State at the time received N10m cash, while the Deputy COP in charge of Operations got N2 million cash.

    Also, the Assistant Commissioners of Police in charge of operations and administration in Kwara State, received N1 million cash each.

    The document also showed that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara State for the 2015 general elections got N10 million cash, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Administrative Secretary in Kwara State at the time received N5 million cash.

    According to the document, INEC’s Head of Department, Operations and “his boys” were given N5m, while “other officers” received and shared N2m among themselves.

    Also listed as beneficiaries of the alleged bribe in Kwara State were the “OC Mopol” and “his men”, who got N7 million, “2iC Mopol” and men in the state, who got N10m; the Director of the State Security Service (SSS) and his men, who got N2.5m.

    The military in Kwara State was bribed with N50m, according to the document, while other security agencies including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) got N20m..

    An EFCC investigator Usman Zakari, who brought the document, told the court that it was recovered from Belgore.

    Belgore is accused of collecting N450m from Diezani and distributing same to beneficiaries in Kwara State.

    The EFCC said he handled the cash without going through any financial institution, contrary to sections 1(a), 16(d), 15(2)(d) and18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

    According to the commission, the offence is punishable under sections 15(3)(4), and 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

    Standing trial along with Belgore for the offence is a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman.

    The SAN and the don were arraigned on charges of money laundering on February 8, 2017 but they pleaded not guilty.

    Zakari is the second witness to be called by the EFCC in its efforts to prove its case.

    Testifying before Justice Aikawa on Thursday, the witness explained that Belgore volunteered the list to the EFCC when he was invited and interrogated by the anti-graft agency.

    The investigator pointed out Belgore’s endorsement on the document, stating: “document supplied by me, Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN).”

    The second document the EFCC said it recovered from Belgore, also showed showed beneficiaries of a sum of N155, 220,000 and the breakdown of what they got.

    Among them were 15 electoral officers who each received, 250,000; 15 supervisors, who got N100, 000 each; state Returning Officers who got N1m, among others.

    The two documents were tendered by the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, and admitted in evidence as Exhibit 7 and 7A, against Belgore and Suleiman, as their lawyers, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN) and Mr. Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN), raised no objection.

    In his evidence, Zakari told the court that the EFCC’s findings showed that the money was disbursed in cash to the beneficiaries.

    “My Lord, the mode of payment, as contained in Exhibit 7, is cash payment. The payments were not done through any financial institution,” Zakari said.

    Meanwhile, Justice Aikawa entertained Belgore’s application seeking the dismissal of the charges on the grounds that the EFCC failed to attach an affidavit showing that it had concluded investigation in the case before bringing the case to court.

    Moving the application on Thursday, Belgore’s lawyer, Shofunde, argued that the failure of the EFCC to attach an affidavit saying it had concluded investigation before filing the charges was a fundamental breach of the Federal High Court Practice Direction and which had rendered the charges incompetent.

    He urged Justice Aikawa to quash the charges and free his client.

    But in opposition, the EFCC lawyer, Oyedepo, argued that the current law governing criminal cases in the country was the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

    He argued that the ACJA did not list filling of the said affidavit as one of the conditions that must be fulfilled before a criminal charge could be filed in court, stressing that the provisions of the ACJA were superior to that of the Federal High Court Practice Direction.

    Besides, he referred Justice Aikawa to Section 221 of the ACJA which barred a judge from entertaining any application challenging the competence of charges in a criminal case in the middle of trial and Section 396(2) of the Act, which barred a judge from ruling on any such application until judgment is delivered in the case.

    While urging the judge to dismiss the application, Oyedepo said granting it would “amount to slaughtering justice on the altar of technicality.”

    Justice Aikawa adjourned till July 7 for ruling.

     

  • Democracy Day: NSCDC in Niger deploys 785 operatives

    Democracy Day: NSCDC in Niger deploys 785 operatives

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger has deployed 785 operatives to provide security before, during and after Democracy Day celebration.
    Mr Phillip Ayuba, the Corps Commandant, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Friday that the deployment was to ensure peaceful celebration.
    “We have deployed our officers to recreation centres, markets and other public buildings against any form of security threats,” he said.
    Ayuba said that officers in all the 25 local government areas of the state had been briefed on measures to adopt in their respective jurisdictions.
    He also said that NSCDC had also deployed foot patrol operatives to Minna, Bida, Kontagora and Paikoro Local Government areas to forestall any unfortunate development.
    The commandant urged residents to go about their legitimate activities as no place would be left unsecured.
    He solicited information about bad elements for necessary security action.

  • Okpekpe Road Race: I didn’t know I’ll win, says fastest Nigerian female

    Deborah Pam, the fastest Nigerian female at the just-concluded 5th Okpekpe 10km Road Race on Monday said she did not believe she would win because she was just recovering from an injury.

    The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Bronze label road race held on May 13 in Okpekpe Town in Edo.

    Pam told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that her success was due to consistent training when she was injury free.

    “I will attribute my success to training, I train everyday unless I am not healthy but I never thought that I will win the 5th Okpekpe race because I was just recovering from injury.

    “I really want to thank my training partner, Emmanuel Gyang, he kept pushing me not to give up. I am also grateful to God because he gave me the strength,’’ she said.

    Pam, who works in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), said her way of relaxing was training effortlessly in order not to be caught unawares.

    Ethiopian duo of Luel Gebrasilasis and Azmera Gebru emerged winners in the male and female foreign elite categories of the race.

    Gebrasilasis coasted home to victory in 29:28secs, clinching the top prize of 15,000 dollars, while his compatriot, Dawit Fikadu came second with a time of 29:34 secs and received the 10,000 dollars prize money.

    Ethiopian, Jemeli Bekeli also touched the finish line in 32:22secs to win the third prize of 7,000 dollars.

    The fastest Nigerian in the male category of the race was Plateau State-born Jigade Monday, who raced to the finish line in 31:53secs, followed by Emmanuel Gyang and Ismail Sajor, in the second and third positions respectively.

    In the female category, Gebru, completed the race in 33:59secs, followed by Kenya’s Veronica Maina, who finished in 34:19secs and Timbili Jemeli, also from Kenya, third with a time of 34:39secs.

    The fastest Nigerian female athlete in the race, Deborah Pam, finished with a time of 38:15secs and was followed by Elizabeth Nuhu from Nasarawa State with 38:41secs.

    Rose Ajusho came third with a time of 38:55secs.

    For the Nigerian male and female categories, the winners, first and second runners-up got N250,000, N100,000 and N80,000, respectively.

  • NSCDC arrests six suspected fraudsters, cultists in Ondo

    NSCDC arrests six suspected fraudsters, cultists in Ondo

    Ondo State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Tuesday arrested six persons suspected to be cultists and fraudsters in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

    The spokesman of the command, Kayode Balogun said the suspects who had been terrorizing the people of the state were arrested after a tipoff.

    The suspects are Akeem Oyewole (28), Dupe Adewole (30), Oni Abiodun (33), Abiodun Oladimeji (21), Aron Sunday (20) and Anes John (28).

    According to him, the leader of the gang, Akeem Oyewole was arrested by men of the Corps after successfully duping a student of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo identified as Omokehinde Idowu.

    He said the fraudsters allegedly duped Idowu while on his way to the campus, and took him to their hide out where they collected his #58,000 school fees, a techno phone and wallet which contains school Identity card and Voters card from him.

    The spokesman alleged that the suspects hypnotized a 17-year old, Motunrayo who was asked to bring her parent money for them after being threatened to be killed if she declined their order.

    One of the suspects, Oni Abiodun, according to Balogun was arrested for buying a stolen phone from a member of the gang, while Aron Sunday was arrested for alleged cultism.

    He disclosed that all the suspects were still under investigation and would be charged to court immediately after investigation.

    Balogun warned criminals to steer clear of the state or face the full wrath of the law.

  • Customs destroy N1b worth of imported poultry

    Customs destroy N1b worth of imported poultry

    The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C Owerri, covering the Southeast and South-South states, Saturday destroyed impounded frozen poultry products with Duty Paid Value of N1, 275,712,500.

    The 102, 099 cartons of frozen poultry products which were intercepted at various point within the Zone, were said to be illegally imported.

    The Customs Area Controller in charge of FOU Zone ‘C’, Comptroller Mohammed Uba, said the figure was the total of seizures of poultry products made by the Zone since he assumed duty in October 2016, adding that the impounded products have been destroyed in accordance with government policy.

    Mohammed restated that poultry products are still under import prohibition, warning that “any of such found will be seized and destroyed in compliance with the relevant laws and government policies”.

    Given a graphic detail of how one of the seizures was made, the Controller, revealed that “operatives of the FOU Zone ‘C’ Owerri on Thursday 19th April 2017 intercepted 24,032 cartons of imported frozen poultry products with Duty Paid Value of N259, 545,600, conveyed in a Mack Truck with registration number AJL 861 XA along Benin Ekiadolor axis by Lagos Expressway, Edo State. The poultry items include turkey parts, chicken parts, poultry gizzard amongst others”.

    Speaking during the destruction of the seized poultry in Benin, Mohammed, noted that the seizures were achieved through the diligence of his officers and men, who he said have recently been encouraged to put in their best with the recent promotion of Officers and men of the Service by the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (Rtd).

    He reiterated the commitment of his officers to ensure that smuggling is brought to a minimal level.

    According to him, “as trained officers in the course of our duty when we intercept any suspected goods and confirm it to be brought in contrary to the laws it will be seized and disposed of. We will continue to make sure that the public is adequately informed so that importation will be done in conformity with the laws and we will stem the menace of smuggling”.

    He further advised Nigerians against the importation of frozen poultry products, stressing that, “it adversely affect the nation’s poultry industry and have been adjudged by health authorities to be injurious to health”.

    Mohammed continued that, “we have to encourage farmers and those in the agriculture sector to be productive, self-reliant, provide employment and boost the economy instead of sending out our foreign exchange and encouraging capital flight”.

    He disclosed that three suspects were arrested in connection with the recent seizures made in Benin, adding that they will soon be charged to court, while enjoining smugglers to shun the illicit business and engage in legitimate trade to boost the nation’s economy.

    On hand to witness the destruction of the poultry products were representatives of other security agencies including the Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Security (DSS), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)

     

  • Labourer in court over rape of minor

    A 46-year-old man, Suleman Adamu, appeared in a Jos High Court on Tuesday, charged with allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl.

    Adamu, a specialist in piecing firewood, who resides in Rikkos area of Jos, is standing trial on a one-count charge of rape.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the accused person had been in prison custody since he was first arraigned on June 14, 2014.

    According to the prosecutor, Mr J.D. Longden of the Plateau Ministry of Justice, Adamu committed the crime on March 7, 2014.

    Longden said that the mother of the victim, Mrs. Margret Ikokoyo, who lives at Anglo-Jos, reported the matter at the ‘A’ Division of Nigeria Police, Jos on March 7, 2014.

    He alleged that the accused person lured the victim into a bush and raped her.

    The prosecutor claimed that the accused had confessed to the police that he raped the minor after enticing her with “sweet talk and promises”.

    Longden said that the offence contravened Section 282 of the Penal Code, adding that offenders were liable to 14 years imprisonment on conviction.

    His claim was corroborated by the investigating officer, Mr A.S. Bilong, from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    Counsel to the defendant, Mr M.S. Salihu, however, declared that the said confession was not credible, arguing that his client was tortured by the police to write it.

    Salihu urged the court to evoke Section 29 (3) of the Evidence Act, to conduct a trial within trial, to find out if the statement was obtained voluntarily.

    Justice Nafisa Musa, after listening to the plea, adjourned the matter to May 24 and 25 for trial within trial, and the continuation of hearing.

  • Vandalism: NSCDC arrests 78 suspects in Rivers  

     

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Rivers Command, says it has arrested 78 oil pipeline vandals between January and March.

    Mr Lawan Haruna, the State Commandant of the corps, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Friday that 53 of the suspects had been arraigned in court.

    According to him, seven of the suspects have been released as the products they were arrested for are ‘genuine’ petroleum products.

    He noted that pipeline vandalism was on the decrease in the state compared with the figure during the same period in 2016.

    Haruna attributed the reduction to the aggressive efforts of the command, the campaign mounted against vandalism and the collaboration with other security agencies.

    He advised the youths not to allow themselves to be used to commit crimes.

    “We should not allow ourselves to be used by some people to do illegal businesses,’’ the commandant said.

    He also disclosed that 53 illegal miners involved in dredging were arrested during the period under review, but said they had been released as they had ‘’perfected’’ their licenses.

     

  • Gunmen Kill NSCDC officer one month after becoming father

    Gunmen Kill NSCDC officer one month after becoming father

    An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ekiti State, Sunday Afolabi, was shot dead in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, by unknown gunmen on Wednesday.

    An insider in Ekiti Command of NSCDC who craved anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter alleged that Afolabi was killed by his assailants along Afao Road at about 3.30 pm.

    But the state police command said Afolabi was killed by suspected “cult boys.” His body was deposited at the mortuary by some policemen who visited the scene after the killing.

    NSCDC spokesman Tolu Afolabi confirmed the killing to reporters on Thursday. He said investigation has been launched into the incident in a bid to unmask the killers of the officer.

    The late Afolabi, who served in the Intelligence and Investigation Unit of Ekiti NSCDC, was reportedly shot in the heart. He is survived by a wife and a one-month-old baby.

    The slain officer who was said to be 35 years of age joined the security agency in 2010. He hailed from Ayegbaju-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of the state.

    The incident cast a thick pall of grief on the NSCDC Ekiti Command headquarters where officers and men gathered in groups discussing the incident in hushed tones.

    NSCDC spokesman said: “Unknown gunmen have killed an officer of NSCDC, Sunday Afolabi, an Assistant Superintendent Corps 1 (ASC1), along Afao Road, Ado Ekiti at about 1530 on Wednesday, 19th April, 2017.

    “The officer was shot in the heart and his corpse has been deposited at the mortuary while investigation continues.”

    When contacted, police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi disclosed that the late Afolabi was killed by suspected cult boys along Afao Road.

    Adeyemi said: “I have just spoken with OC-SARS and he said the cult boys killed the person along Afao Road where the NSCDC office is located.

    “We sympathize with our sister security agency on the killing of the officer. Investigation has commenced into the incident.”