The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps

  • Quell this raging fire of insecurity

    Quell this raging fire of insecurity

    Sir: I call the attention of the state and the federal governments to the spate of insecurity in the land and incessant violence mostly in our farming communities across the country. It is sad and pathetic to see thousands of innocent citizens being murdered in cold blood on daily basis for just no cause.

     In the past couple of years, thousands of innocent lives have been lost through various acts of banditry and insurgency just as an estimated 300,000 peasant farmers have been displaced. Most recently in Ondo State, over 30 farmers and 15 travellers were murdered while many others were injured by suspected armed herdsmen. To tackle the challenge, the state government had to set up a joint security task force comprising of Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) the Army and Amotekun Corps.

    Also, there have been incessant attacks on innocent people in Plateau and Benue states particularly the farming communities. In Plateau State, more than 70 people were killed and their houses burnt down in the month of March. In Benue State, 40 people were reported to have been killed on their farms by herdsmen during the same period.

    Also in April, suspected armed herders reportedly killed about 19 people in separate attacks on some communities in the Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State. In the first attack, 16 farmers returning to their village were said to have been killed and their bodies thrown into River Katsina-Ala. In the second attack, which occurred in the same Local Government Area, three persons were murdered. Also in the same month, nine farmers were reportedly killed by bandits in Kagau in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

    Read Also: SEC warns Nigerians against suspected Ponzi scheme Tofro.com

    If one may dare to ask: what is really going on along most of our land borders? How the herdsmen said to behind the dastardly acts get into the country? What exactly are we doing to checkmate the activities of these terrorists? These are questions that beg for answers.

    Today, many of our farmers have refused to go back to their farms simply because of insecurity hence the food scarcity, rising food prices despite various federal government interventions.

    This writer recalls a 2024 report by the World Food Program (WFP) identifying the persistent violence as a major factor hindering food availability. In fact, the banditry and kidnapping in the Northwest and farmer-herder conflict in the North-central states are known to have exacerbated the prevailing economic struggles.

    It is therefore imperative that state governors take the bull by the horn  to end this recurring mayhem since they are the chief security officers in their states. Enough of the rhetoric; the masses want concrete action now!

    •Oladele Oladipupo,oladeleoladipupo@gmail.com

  • Security agencies hold show of force in Abia

    A combined team of various security agencies in Abia State on Friday held a Joint Show of Force (JSF) exercise in the major cities of Aba and Umuahia respectively.

    The JSF exercise which is coming about 24hrs to the Presidential and National Assembly elections saw members of the security agencies parade major streets of Aba and Umuahia in a convoy, including some of the flashpoints suspected to be operational base of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and breeding of hoodlums.

    The exercise in Aba which started at the Abia Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force had the presence of personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Army, personnel of Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Mobile Police Force (MPF), among others.

    Sources within the security circles who spoke to our reporter anonymously said that the essence of the security patrol was to sending warning signals to people or group of persons that might want to foment troubles in tomorrow’s election and to also assure Abians and Nigerians who are ready to exercise their franchise of the readiness of the military and other security agencies to protect lives and properties of citizens of the state.

    Addressing the personnel at the end of the patrol, an Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Aba Area Command, Peter Okpara thanked the personnel for comporting themselves while the operation lasted.

    Okpara charged them to be professional in the discharge of their duties at their various places of primary assignments Saturday, also reminded them of the need to protect INEC staff, the voters, and themselves.

    “Tomorrow is the D-Day. The security agencies are on ground to discharge their duties according to the constitution. You must protect INEC officials, election materials, voters, foreign observers and also protect yourselves.

    “You shouldn’t be biased; there’s no friendship in election. Do your work the way it should be done. No brother, no party affiliation, no religion, no tribe.

    “Comport yourselves tomorrow. From 12midnight, all of us must be on duty till the election materials leave for Umuahia.

    “You must be careful because the world is watching us. If this election goes well, others will take the glory. But when it goes bad, they will blame us and that is why we must be professionals. We will not fail. Be in your duty post as early as possible for without your presence, no INEC staff will work until you come.”

    Meanwhile, information reaching us has it that non-sensitive materials including card readers were distributed to various LGAs on Thursday.

    Spokesman of the electoral umpire in the state, Mr. Oyetunji Bamidele said that the commission has put every measures on ground to ensure that there was free, fair and credible election in the state, urged over 1million Abia voters to come out enmass to vote for the candidate of their choice, adding that adequate has been put on ground to protect the lives and properties of the people.

    “We are fully prepared. We started distributing non-sensitive materials on Wednesday. Distribution of sensitive materials will be distributed by Friday morning at about 8am.

    “Our security arrangement is superb. It is being coordinated by Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election and Security. We have put adequate measures to ensure that everything went according to plans.

    “We are urging Abians to ensure that they go about to perform their franchise. The police are equal to the task. We have about 1.9million voters in Abia State. We are urging them to come out and ensure that they exercise their franchise.”

    Meanwhile our reporter who also visited markets in Aba and Umuahia reports that while the Ubani Market in Umuahia was scanty, that could not be said to several markets including Ariaria, Ahia Ohuru, Cemetery markets respectively as many people were seen purchasing one commodity or the other.

    Others including Madam Ifeyinwa Offor said that they were in the market to buy what their family would use until next week.

    Mrs. Offor and others, who expressed fears over the 2019 elections, said that though they wanted to come out and cast their votes, they would wait indoors and observe the situation of things before they can come out to vote, that is, if there was no violence of any kind.

    Another buyer who gave her name as Anne said that she would have come to shop for her provision store in Cameroun next week, but later changed her mind to come to Aba on Wednesday to buy what she wants to stock in her shop because of the uncertainty surrounding this weekend’s election in Nigeria.

    The story was the same in some of the banks visited as customers beseeched the banking halls trying to carry out their final financial transactions before the election which curfew starts 6am Saturday.

    The Automated Teller paying point of banks and motor park venues witnessed large turnout of customers who were trying to make withdrawals.

  • NSCDC trains 70 security guards in C/River

    The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) has trained no fewer than 70 private guards from 20 security outfits in Cross River.

    The 3-day training was aimed at building the capacity and knowledge of the private security guards towards the protection of companies, schools, government agencies and others.

    Speaking on Sunday in Calabar, Mr Stephen Lar, Commandant of NSCDC in the state, said that the corps was saddled with the responsibility of monitoring, supervising and training private guards companies in the country.

    Lar said that the training was timely in view of the present security challenges in the country, adding that Cross River was currently faced with cases of cultism, armed robbery, bunkering and other social vices.

    “It is on this note that we thought it necessary to collaborate with the private companies to ensure that we nip this crime in the bud. I am happy that you were trained on Information gathering, fitness and guard duties.

    “I have gone through the syllabus that you were trained and I have seen that you have a greater role to play to ensure that Cross River is secured, free of crime and criminality.

    “No security outfit can succeed without information. Security of a place does not mean carrying guns alone, it means getting the information as to what is about to happen so that we can nip it in the bud.

    Read Also: Police arrest community leader, others for alleged illegal arms possession

    “You are going back to the grassroot, you operate at different business centres, you are bound to hear information and see things; I urge you to report such to the NSCDC and other security agencies,’’ he said.

    He urged other companies to also send their guards to the NSCDC for special security training.

    Also speaking, Mr JamHil Ogwumike, the NSCDC Deputy Commandant in-charge of Private Guards Company, said that the training was carried out with a view to curb the menace of social vices associated with the yuletide season and beyond.

    Ogwumike lauded the participants for their good conduct during the training, adding that the knowledge impacted on them would expand their approach to security issues.

    Responding on behalf of the participants, Mr David Akpan, from Great Hope Security Limited, thanked the NSCDC for the training, saying that they have learnt a lot on how to police their environment.

  • NSCDC deploys over 10,000 operatives for Osun guber poll

    The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Friday said a total of 10,073 operatives for drafted for election duties in Osun State.

    Deputy Commandant General of the corps, Kelechi Madu stated this during a chat with reporters in Osogbo.

    He said 5,500 of the personnel would be deployed to mam polling booths with the police, adding that the others would be assigned to other security duties in relation to the election.

    Read Also: NSCDC apprehends six in Cross River

    Although some of the operatives had complained of poor remuneration ranging from N580 to N4,500 as against the N15,000 per personnel allegedly approved for them; Madu said all the personnel deployed for elector duty got thr allowances approved for them by the government.

    He said: “What the government approved was what was paid to them. What if the government said it was not going to pay anything? Would they not do their jobs?”

     

  • Lagos sets up special squad to clear trucks, tankers

    …. appeals to Maritime workers to shelve planned strike

     

    Lagos State Government has set up a joint operation involving security agencies and stakeholders in the maritime sector to clear all containerized trucks and tankers parked along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway commencing from Friday.

    The operation tagged, ‘Operation Restore Sanity On Lagos Roads,’ was set up on Thursday and the exercise will be carried out from early hours of Friday to Monday.

    In order not to compound the already had situation the government has also appealed to Maritime Union Workers, in the interest of the nation, to shelve their planned strike action and other moves they have so far embarked on which led to the gridlock, while also appealing to Lagos residents to bear with government especially in the event of diversions to ensure removal of the parked trucks and containers.

    The squad consists of 1000 policemen, 500 officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), 100 officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), 120 officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and 250 personnel of the Nigerian Military including Army, Air Force and the Navy.

    Apart from providing the equipment to be used for the operation, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) will also deploy 20 officials, while the relevant unions within the maritime sector such as Amalgamation of Container Truck Owners Association, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), National Association of Transport Operators (NATO), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), among others will provide hundreds of their members to serve as Task Force to work with security agencies.

    Addressing a press briefing after an emergency meeting on the chaos in Apapa axis as a result of the gridlock, the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Imohimi Edgal said the decision to set up the operation became imperative owing to the need to restore sanity and prevent complete breakdown of law and order.

    He said though the issues which gave rise to the sorry state of affairs on the federal roads and bridges linking the ports ranges from ports operational problems, activities of tank farms and shipping lines who don’t have holding bays in clear contravention to the law, and diversion as a result of ongoing construction, among others, the State Government nonetheless would not fold it arms and allow the sufferings of the people to continue, a development he said necessitated the operation.

    He said it was gratifying that all stakeholders unanimously agreed that the operation should commence with immediate effect, while the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other relevant agencies work to fashion out permanent solution to the issues within the Ports which gave rise to the gridlock.

    According to the CP, “Everybody is aware of the madness going on along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway that has been completely blocked by trailers and tankers. The same problem we have on our bridges in Western Avenue, Iganmu and Apapa axis.

    “However, it would be irresponsible of us to continue to watch and allow Lagosians go through these period of untold hardship without coming up with strong palliative and security measures and strong joint effort to at least ease the traffic problem and allow for free flow of traffic, while agencies that are responsible for these problems sit together like I hear they are doing currently and fashion out permanent solutions to the problems.

    Read Also: Will trucks, trailers ever leave Apapa?

    “We have held series of meetings betweenThursday and Friday and we have come up immediately with a resolve to immediately start ‘Operation Restore Sanity On Lagos Roads’. This operation which kicks off by early hours of Friday is intended to move trucks and containers from our roads, highways and bridges to designated locations.

    “Thereafter, inventory will be made. The shipping companies themselves will be called to send their representatives to take inventory of these containers and at least have records that the containers have been taken to the designated locations so that they can continue their activities from there,” Edgal said.

    He commended motorists and Lagos residents especially those staying in the Apapa axis for their patience and understanding so far, just as he assured that concerted efforts would be made to free the road between Friday and Monday, while another level of engagement would commence with the NPA, tank farm owners, shipping companies, Shippers Council and other stakeholders to forestall a repeat of the gridlock.

    Also speaking, LASTMA’s General Manager, Mr Olawale Musa assured residents that normalcy and order would soon be restored, saying that the men of the agency had fully been mobilized.

    “Just to tell Lagosians that as a government, we are very responsive and for a situation that is beyond our control and not our doing, we are nonetheless making all efforts to ease the problems of Lagosians.

    “We are on ground and we are going to ensure that sanity is restored on our roads. If the people are suffering, we are also suffering because for me to get to Apapa is a big problem to access the road but with all stakeholders coming together to solve these problems, we assure Lagosians that very soon we are going to restore order,” Musa said.

  • NSCDC destroys 300 illegal refineries in Delta

    The Delta State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has destroyed over 300 illegal refineries in the State in the last 12 months.

    The Corps State Commandant, Mrs. Sam Ego Ezeagbogho made this known  on Monday  in Asaba when Commandant of Naval College, Port Harcourt, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia and participants of Course 2 of the institute visited.

    She said the exercise has enabled the country save billions of naira, adding that the successes were due to collaborative efforts with sister security agencies.

    She said the agency secured the conviction some persons while others are in court.

    Mrs. Ego Ezeagbogho assured Nigerians of the corps resolve to carry out its core mandate and make the nation safer.

    Rear Admiral Udofia said college was established to sharpen the knowledge of officers in finding solution to critical security issues.

    He said ,”We are in the State and after the tour we will come out with reports tha would check security issues particularly in coastal States and the nation in general.”

  • NSCDC arrests 44 suspected criminals in Plateau

    The Nigerian Secur‎ity and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Plateau Command, said on Tuesday that it had arrested 44 suspects for various crimes in the first quarter of 2018.

    Mrs Naomi Chishak, the command’s ‎Public Relations Officer ( PRO ), made this disclosure to the News men in Jos.

    She stated that the suspects were arrested for offences; ranging from solid mineral theft,  ‎petroleum products diversion, illegal possession of weapons and armed robbery.

    Chishak said that between January and February, the command recovered about 3,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit ( PMS ) known as petrol from various black marketers within Jos -Bukuru metropolis.

    Read Also: NSCDC urges unlicensed security guards companies to stop operating

    According to her, the suspect’s ‎are currently facing trials and those who are found guilty will be convicted.

    She also lamented the rise in the theft of solid minerals and illegal mining, adding that such activities were not only criminal but detrimental to the environment.

    Chishak cautioned those who engaged in the ugly acts, which she described as ‘national sabotage’ to desist from them.

    She assured that the command would continue to ensure that those caught in the act would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

    NAN

  • NSCDC resolves 65 disputes in Kaduna

    NSCDC resolves 65 disputes in Kaduna

    The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Kaduna Command, said it’s Peace and Conflict Resolution Unit has resolved 65 out of 85 disputes involving individuals it received in 2017.

    The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASC, Orndiir Terzungwe made the disclosure in an interview with the News men on Monday in Kaduna.

    He however said the unit was still working on 20 of the cases, adding that progress have been made in the effort to resolve them.

    Terzungwe said the disputes revolved round land ownership, family issues and cases of breach of trust.

    According to him, 40 of the cases were on breach of trust, of which 32 have been resolved, with eight pending.

    Read Also: NSCDC arrests man, 20, over theft of six goats

    “In land dispute, we received 28 matters and 21 had been resolved while seven are still in progress, while under family matters, 17 cases was received, 12 were resolved and five are still in process,” he said.

    The spokesperson said that during the period under review, the unit recovered and handed over N1.17 million to their rightful owners.

    He said that the command remained committed to its mandate of protecting national infrastructure and assets, and appealed to residents to always give security operatives useful information for proactive them to take measures.

    NAN

  • Woman nabbed over theft at wedding in Maiduguri

    Woman nabbed over theft at wedding in Maiduguri

    The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) in Borno said it had arrested a 27 year-old spinster, Zainab Abdullahi, over alleged theft of  N12, 000 at a wedding ceremony in Maiduguri.

  • NSCDC arrests 57 in Edo

    NSCDC arrests 57 in Edo

    The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) in Edo  says it arrested no fewer than 57 suspects for various crimes in 2017.

    The State Commandant of the corps Mr Makinde Ayinla, disclosed this in an interview in Benin on Friday.

    Ayinla said that the suspects were arrested in connection with  armed robbery, drug trafficking, rape as well as  acts of vandalism against  electricity cables and water  pipelines.

    Read also: NSCDC seizes 1000 litres of petrol from Boko Haram suppliers

    The commandant disclosed that the command also secured five convictions after successfully prosecuting some of the cases, while 23 cases involving 47 suspects were still pending in law courts.

    Ayinla said that the command also recovered about N4.1 million from the 52 cases of fraud it handled during the period.

    He said that the anti-vandal unit of the command also destroyed 28 illegal refineries with more than 500,000 litres of illegally refined and adulterated petroleum products seized.

    Ayinla said that the command in collaboration with the Department of Petroleum Resources sealed three fuel stations in Benin for selling petrol above the N145 official pump price in December.

    NAN