The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps

  • Ebonyi plans to ban hawking to stem child abuse

    Ebonyi plans to ban hawking to stem child abuse

    The Ebonyi Government says it will stop street hawking to eradicate the abuse of school-aged children in the state.

    Mr Godwin Igwe, the Head of Child Development, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, made this known on Tuesday in an interview in Abakaliki.

    Igwe said, “The ban is aimed at curbing all forms of child abuse, child labour and neglect.’’

    According to him, such abuses, as noticed in the state, include child abuse, child trafficking and other forms of violence against children.

    He explained that through hawking, children could be subjected to rape, ritual killings and trafficking, among other related cases.

    “Children hawking, whether after, during school hours or weekends, is not allowed.

    “If caught, the person will be punished,’’ Igwe said.

    He added that the ministry would work in partnership with the Ministry of Information and Education, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) and Nigeria Peace Corp (  NPC ), among others to achieve its goals.

    “Child abuses and violence against children have been seen as custom and normal ways of treating children in the society and such trend ought to be redressed.

    “It is based on this that we want to sensitise the public against this negative practice.

    Read also: Tension as police kill football fan in Ebonyi

    “Some people do not know that it is wrong to maltreat a child, neglect or subject the child to torture or any form of inhuman treatment,’’ Igwe said.

    He decried the increasing rate of child abuse and charged parents and guardians of victims to report such cases to the appropriate authority.

    Igwe added that perpetrators of such acts would be treated accordingly, to serve as deterrent to others.

    He also spoke against the attitude of some parents, whom he said, collected money from the perpetrators for settlement without minding the damage caused on the victims.

    He advised parents to always monitor the activities of their children so as to prevent the future recurrence.

    The ministry official said that Police should be encouraged to assist in ensuring the protection of children rights.

    He emphasised the readiness of the ministry to work with the police so that the welfare, survival and development of a child would be protected.

    Igwe added that the media would also be engaged in the dissemination of information.

    “We implore the judiciary to given attention to cases of child abuse.

    “Legal personnel, who have undergone training on child rights, should be given the chance to handle such case.

    “We have plan to invite local government chairmen, social workers and stakeholders to sensitise them on the need to step-up measures against child abuse, especially in the rural areas, which seem to be worst hit.’’

    Also, the Desk Officer, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in the ministry, Mrs Florence Onwa, confirmed the increasing rate of child abuse.

    Onwa said that campaigns had been taken to market places and industrial sites, while the ministry was also making arrangement for advocacy visits to the traditional, community and opinion leaders in Ebonyi.

    “Parents should stop sending their children to unknown persons; but if there is need to do so, they ought to be sure of whom the intending masters and mistresses are,’’ she said.

    NAN

  • NSCDC records 1,204 criminal, civil cases in Jigawa

    NSCDC records 1,204 criminal, civil cases in Jigawa

    The Jigawa Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) recorded 1,204 cases comprising  321 criminal and 883 civil matters in 2017.

    The state Commandant of the corps, Mr Muhammad Durumin-Iya, made the disclosure at a news conference in Dutse on Monday.

    Durumin-Iya said that the command recorded 777 cases made up of 144 criminal and 633 civil cases in 2016.

    The commandant said that the cases recorded in 2017 included armed robbery, theft, fraud, gross indecency, conspiracy and gross misconduct.

    According to the commandant, the other cases included, assault, arson, trespass, breach of trust, homosexuality, rape and defilement.

    Read also: NSCDC arrests 57 in Edo

    He said that the command also recorded cases of family, contract, communal, land, tenancy, farmers/herdsmen disputes as well as cases of diversion of petroleum products, larceny, trespass, vandalism and drug abuse.

    He said that the command secured 180 convictions out of the 321 criminal cases in 2017, adding that 134 cases were transferred to the relevant agencies while seven were pending.

    The commandant said that all the 883 civil cases were settled out of court by the command.

    Durumin-Iya attributed the increase in the cases to urbanisation, increase in population, unemployment, rural and urban drift, and harsh economic situation.

    He called for collaboration of security agencies in the state in tackling crime.

    “The solutions to the problem should include synergy of all security agencies, training and re-training of officers and men, aggressive public awareness campaigns and cooperation from the general public,” he said.

    According to him, lack of adequate operational vehicles and office accommodation in the 27 LGAs of the state had been militating against the command’s operations.

    Durumin-Iya called on the federal, state and local governments to come to the aid of the command.

    He, however, hailed the state government for support, and thanked the mass media for publicising activities of the command.

    The commandant also hailed officers and men of the command for dedication, and called for continued support and cooperation of the people of the state.

    NAN

  • Police personnel to participate in fitness exercise in Enugu

    Police personnel to participate in fitness exercise in Enugu

    Over 750 policemen and other personnel from sister security agencies and corporate bodies are to participate in the police routine monthly fitness exercise in Enugu.

    Officers and men of other security agencies invited to the exercise included: Nigeria Prisons Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC ) and the National Drug Law enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ).

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said in Enugu that the exercise would be the last for the year and that it would hold on Saturday.

    Amaraizu said the exercise, tagged: “Walk/Jog for Life’’, was meant to keep the police personnel and other security personnel in Enugu State “up and doing” in the discharge of their duties.

    Read also: Police to strengthen ‘bail is free’ campaign

    He also said this would also promote synergy and co-operation among security agencies and members of the public.

    “The fitness exercise will ensure agility for officers and men of the police, other sister agencies, the media, corporate organisations and other relevant stakeholders.

    “This edition is proudly powered by MTN Nigeria.

    “The take-off point for the exercise is police headquarters, Enugu.

    “It is an engagement programme of police and its numerous public to unite us together as sports is a unifying factor.

    “It will also engender healthy life-style as well as for a safe and secure environment and state,’’ Amaraizu, who is also the sports officer of the Police Command, said.

    The Enugu State Police Command monthly exercise started in January 2013.

    NAN

  • NSCDC trains 380 officers on criminal prosecution

    NSCDC trains 380 officers on criminal prosecution

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) in Nasarawa State on Monday in Lafia began the training of 380 officers on criminal prosecution in lower courts.

    Its Commandant, Muhammad Mahmoud-Fari, told newsmen at the venue of the training that the exercise was being done in collaboration with the officers of the state Ministry of Justice.

    According to Mahmoud-Fari, the corps is mandated by the amended NSCDC Act 2017 to prosecute criminal offenders, hence the need to train prosecutors to handle criminal cases recorded by the corps.

    “The NSCDC Act allows us to arrest, detain, investigate and prosecute. But we cannot prosecute effectively if we don’t have trained prosecutors,” he said.

    He said the training of the prosecutors was in batches and it would facilitate the quick dispensation of criminal cases and serve as a warning to criminals in the state.

    Read also: NSCDC destroys 28 illegal refineries in Edo

    He said the first phase of the training drew participants from all the formations and intelligence department of the NSCDC in the state.

    According to him, other officers will be trained subsequently.

    Mahmoud-Fari said NSCDC was committed to training all officers and men of the command in crime fighting, especially arms handling.

    Similarly, Mrs Justina Allu, a resource person from the state Ministry of Justice, said the training was meant to give the officers footing in the prosecution of criminal cases in courts.

    Allu said the officers of the corps, even though empowered by the NSCDC Act to prosecute, could not effectively discharge that responsibility without the rudimentary training.

    “Although they have lawyers prosecuting in high courts, same does not apply in lower courts, hence the need to train them as prosecutors to appear in lower courts,” she said.

    NAN

  • Motorists pay extra money to fill tank

    Motorists pay extra money to fill tank

    Motorists now pay between N500 and N1000 to petrol station attendants before they are allowed to fill their car tanks at some stations in Chanchaga and Bosso local government areas of Niger.

    A correspondent who monitored situation and sale of fuel on Wednesday, reports that apart from cost of product, petrol station attendants demand between N500 and N1,000 to fill the tank of motorists.

    A motorist, Hajiya Rabi Abdullahi in Bosso, said she had to pay extra N1,000 to petrol attendant to fill her car tank.

    She said “I feel it is better for me to pay extra to buy petrol at filling station than buy from`black marketers’ where I am not sure of the quality of the product.”

    Malam Bashir Isa of Maitumbi village said after spending the night at petrol station, he was able to buy the product after paying extra N500 to the attendant to fill his tank.

    He added that “this is pure sabotage because the product is available in most filling stations across the state but marketers are just exploiting us.”

    He called on Federal Government to take drastic measures against any marketer found hoarding product.

    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, a commercial driver at Abdulsalam Motor Park in Minna told NAN that “black marketers” had taken over most filling stations.

    He said “all the petrol attendants have their agents selling products at strategic locations in and outside the metropolis.”

    He called for the setting up of Mobile Courts to arrest and identify the source of the black marketers’ supply and deal with them accordingly.

    Read also: Motorists lament as fuel scarcity bites hard in Kano

    He said petrol was now being sold at between N130 and N160 per litre in Minna, depending on the location of the station.

    The petrol queues, which reappeared on December 4, are becoming unbearable for motorists in the state.

    Some of the filling stations operated by Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) had increased their pump price from N150 to N160 per litre.

    At the NNPC Mega Stations and other filling stations by major marketers, the queues were longer, as they maintained the official price of N145 per litre.

    A four-litre gallon of the product in the black market cost N1,300 in Minna town as transport fare had also increased due to the scarcity of product.

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)  Niger command had set up a task force to monitor the sale and distribution of petroleum products in the state.

    The 10-man task force was headed by ASP Peter Doma and Alhaji Abdullahi Jankara of the DPR Minna office.

    The task force was given the responsibility of ensuring normal distribution and sale of product at controlled price.

    NAN

  • NSCDC sets up task force on fuel scarcity

    NSCDC sets up task force on fuel scarcity

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Niger command, has set up a task force to monitor the sales and distribution of petroleum products in the state.

    Mr Philip Ayuba, Commandant of the Corps, disclosed this in an interview on Tuesday in Minna.

    “The task force will liaise with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to track movement of petroleum products meant for the state from loading points to final destinations,’’ Ayuba said.

    He said the 10-man task force was headed by ASP Peter Doma and Alhaji Abdullahi Jankara of the DPR Minna office.

    He said the task force was charged with the responsibility to return to normal distribution and sales of the product at government controlled price in the state.

     Ayuba said that the task force would monitor and ensure effective dispensing of petroleum products by all selling outlets in and outside the metropolis.

    Read also: Yuletide: NSCDC deploys 2,600 security personnel in Niger

    He explained that the committee would ensure all products made to the state were not diverted to black markets.

    “Any marketer found hoarding or diverting the product to black market would be sanctioned,” he added.

    He also used the opportunity to warn all service stations to desist from hoarding the product as anyone found wanting would be sanctioned.

    Meanwhile, queues for petrol have resurfaced in Minna metropolis and its environs, creating hardship for motorists and commuters.

    The queues, which started on Monday, is becoming unbearable for motorists in the state.

    Some of the filling stations operated by Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria have increased the pump price of a litre from N150 to N160.

    At the NNPC mega stations and other filling stations by major marketers, the queues are longer, as they maintain the official price of N145 per litre.

    A four-litre gallon of the product in the black market cost N1,200 in Minna while in Bosso and Paiko local government areas, it costs N1,500

    Transport fare have also increased due to the scarcity of the product.

    NAN

  • Yuletide: NSCDC deploys 2,600 security personnel in Niger

    Yuletide: NSCDC deploys 2,600 security personnel in Niger

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps( NSCDC ), Niger Command, says it has deployed 2,600 security personnel to maintain peace and order during and after the forthcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations.

    The Commandant, Mr Philip Ayuba, disclosed this in an interview in Minna on Tuesday.

    He said that plain-clothes security personnel had been deployed to all motor parks, churches, public buildings and recreational centres, to gather intelligence reports that would improve security in the state.

    The commandant assured residents of the state that the security measures already put in place would guarantee peaceful atmosphere during and after the celebrations.

    ‘‘The sensitive security measures in place will guarantee peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the celebrations.’’

    Ayuba also revealed that specialised units involved in crime management had been deployed to flash points inside and outside the state capital, to deal with any unforeseen eventualities.

    Read also: Police assure citizens of a crime-free Yuletide

    ‘‘We have taken concrete security measures to secure people during Christmas and New Year festivities without any form of security threats.

    ‘‘We are ready to tackle any form of criminal activities during, before and after the festive periods.

    ‘‘We will continue to sustain the existing synergy between the command and other security agencies, to protect the lives and property of residents,’’ he said.

    He advised residents to be law-abiding and report any suspicious movements of persons to the nearest security units for prompt action.

    The commandant warned that security agencies would not condone any form of lawlessness during and after the celebrations.

    NAN

  • Two policemen, NSCDC staff probed for abduction in Jigawa

    Two policemen, NSCDC staff probed for abduction in Jigawa

    The Police Command in Jigawa says it is interrogating two policemen, a personal of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) and one civilian over alleged abduction of fake money producer.

    The command’s Spokesman, DSP Abdu Jinjiri, confirmed this to newsmen in Dutse on Thursday.

    Jinjiri said that the suspects (names withheld) were arrested in Hadejia Local Government Area of the state after they allegedly abducted the victim, Malam Ahmad Muhammad, also known as “Akrami’’.

    He explained that the suspects allegedly conspired and abducted the victim at his residence at Mahucin Sarki quarters, after they learnt that he produced fake money.

    The spokesman added that they suspects allegedly took the victim to the bush and demanded that he produced money for them.

    “On December 26, we received a report from Hadejia division that two policemen, one personal of NSCDC and one civilian allegedly conspired and abducted one Malam Ahmad Muhammad from his residence in Mahucin Sarki quarters, Hadejia town.

    “They kept the captive for one day insisting that he must produce money for them.

    “This is very unprofessional, as they were supposed to take him to station for interrogation but they decided to keep him with them,’’ the spokesman said.

    He said investigation into the case had begun, and that the suspects would be charged to court if evidence was established against them.

    NAN

  • Court of Appeal affirms recall of 181 NSCDC staff

    Court of Appeal affirms recall of 181 NSCDC staff

    The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, on Wednesday dismissed a motion seeking leave to restore a dismissed appeal meant to invalidate its judgment that affirmed recall of 181 sacked Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) staff.

    Justice Teni Hassan held that such move could hurt the judiciary, adding that the court would not overrule itself.

    Hassan said the court, having gone through all the issues raised in the application, was left with the only option to dismiss it.

    “This motion filed by NSCDC with intent to restore a dismissed appeal is simply academic. The motion lacks merit and hereby dismissed.

    “This court’s judgment on this matter delivered on July 18, 2016 stands,’’ she held.

    The other appellants were the Immigration and Prisons Service Board.

    The lost appeal was filed NSCDC against the judgment by the National Industrial Court (NIC), reinstating 181 of its staff who were wrongly dismissed.

    NIC had, in a judgment on March 19, 2015, ordered the NSCDC to reinstate the sacked staff with their full emoluments from the time they were illegally dismissed.

    Read also: NCC, NSCDC sign MoU to protect telecom infrastructure

    NIC had ordered NSCDC to return the employment letters to the affected 181 personnel and pay all arrears of their salaries amounting to about N1.2 billion.

    The court also restrained the NSCDC from further tampering with the employment of the affected personnel.

    Dissatisfied with the judgment, the NSCDC, and 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, on July 18, 2016, upheld the respondents’ request and dismissed the appeal for lack of diligent prosecution.

    Obono Musa and 180 others had sued the Commandant-General, NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin, alleging unlawful termination of their employments.

    They prayed the court to declare that the verbal and oral suspension of the claimants by the NSCDC was null, void and of no effect.

    The claimants also sought an order directing the defendants to recall all the claimants to work and to also release the original copies of their letters of employment to them.

    They also asked for an order of the court directing the defendants to immediately pay them all arrears of salaries from 2007 till date.

    NAN

  • FRSC to deploy 200 officers in Bayelsa – Yuletide

    FRSC to deploy 200 officers in Bayelsa – Yuletide

    The Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC ), Bayelsa Sector Command on Wednesday, promised to deploy at least, 200 officers and 300 Special Marshals to various highways in the state to improve safety of life during the Yuletide season.

    The Sector Commander for the state, Mr Ikechukwu Igwe, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) in Yenagoa.

    ‘’We are going to deploy 200 personnel and 300 Special Marshals who will be on patrol at strategic corridors,’’ he said.

    Igwe said that the deployment of the personnel was also to ensure free flow of traffic, especially at the different identified flash points in the area.

    Read Also: FRSC sacks 25 for misconduct

    He decried the rate of death arising from road crashes in the state and reiterated the corps’ commitment to safety on the road, during and after the yuletide season.
    “Our main focus is going to be on the highway, which is the east-west road that links Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and other states across the country.

    “The FRSC is a partner in progress with other security agencies, including the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), the Bayelsa Security Management Agency among others.

    ’’We are going to work with them in order to achieve the desired success. “Our emergency and medical team are available.

    “I urge motorists to drive according to traffic rules and regulations.

    ‘’They should avoid speeding, overloading, drink-driving and ensure that their vehicles are in good condition before driving them on the highways. “This year’s campaign is targeting operation zero crash,” he said.

    On safety awareness, Igwe said the corps had sustained its enlightenment campaign on tips to ensure safe driving culture and for the motorists to be safety conscious on the wheel.

    “Our campaign has gone to the grassroots; we have had series of sensitisation programmes with the Tricycle Operators and NURTW within and outside the state capital. I believe all the road users are going to cooperate with us during the season.”