Buhari’s government and NSCDC reforms in 8 years, By Kelechi Ogunleye – Newsdiaryonline

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is saddled with the responsibility of providing adequate security for citizens and to ensure the protection of critical national asset and infrastructure as enshrined in the act establishing the corps.

In a bid to achieve the mandates  as contained in the 2003 Acts as amended in 2007, the NSCDC under President Muhammadu Buhari has attained laudable feats.

The Corps, in the last eight years, has improved unarguably and received recognitions for its efforts in curbing security threats while its personnel have shown high level of commitment, professionalism, dedication, preparedness and zeal in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.

To achieve its mandates, giant reformative steps were carried out to improve on upcoming developments such as the establishment of the female squad.

This includes the training and re-training of personnel for manpower development, development of a standard curriculum for its training schools, constituting of the Standard Operating Procedure.

Others are; the payment of personnel entitlements, giving succor to injured personnel, payment of group-life insurance benefits, revitalisation of the Private Guard Company (PGC) department, establishment of Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CGsSIS).

There has also been the reactivation of Agro-Rangers operations, tackling terror financing and the deployment of NSCDC operatives to Nigeria Correctional Custodial, personnel promotions to boost morale, acquisition of 93 operational and utility vehicles to enhance its operational capabilities.

Furthermore,  the establishment of the CG’S Special Anti-Vandal Squad (SG’S SAVMU), strengthened onslaught against oil thieves and economic saboteurs, dissolvement and immediate reorganisation of the anti-vandal unit to end crude oil theft.

Capacity building and skills development, establishment of commands and staff college, setup of a micro finance bank to enhance staff welfare, provision of a housing estate scheme, collaborations with other agencies to protect people living with disabilities (PLWD).

The Corps also strengthened collaboration and cooperation with Anti-Draft agencies to curb corruption, establishment of a forensic unit, partnership with non-state actors and the maiden national strategic communication conference,

The Corps under the leadership of NSCDC Commandant General (CG), Ahmed Audi, introduced the Commandant General’s quarterly conference to reinstate the policies and programs of the administration and to examine the level of policy implementation, activities, challenges and proffer solutions.

After the abduction of about 300 school girls from Chibok, Borno State, the Federal Government in 2014 launched the Safe Schools Initiative as part of its efforts to ensure that children in conflict areas or affected by insecurity continue with their education.

To ensure the protection of school students, staff, infrastructure and host communities, the Corps in partnership with the Federal Government set up the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) at NSCDC National Headquarters, Sauka in Abuja.

The Corps recently set up a Safe School Special Response Squad (SSSRS) which had a combined force of the corps’ rapid response unit and the female squad.

As part of the administration’s priority and impressive efforts to improve staff welfare, the CG in March, 2022 approved the disbursement of N20m as burial benefit for deceased personnel and in July, 2022, N200m backlog insurance benefits to over 60 beneficiaries.

According to available reports, the present administration has made disbursement of N19, 195,507.78 in cheques to 18 next of kins of fallen heroes as payment of the group-life insurance benefits.

Against the backdrop of incessant armed attacks on correctional facilities across the country and escape of hundreds of inmates, accompanied by the directive of the Minister of interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the corps deployed operatives to centres nationwide.

The Federal Government also approved the purchase of eight gunboats to be judiciously used for the purpose of waging full scale war against economic saboteurs in order to end the menaces of crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism.

This is to halt issues relating to environmental degradation, pollution, destruction of land, aquatic lives that has further resulted to losses of means of livelihood and drastic reduction in the inflow of foreign exchange needed to boost Nigeria’s economy.

The corps has declared total war on bunkering, sea robbery, piracy and other criminal activities that takes place within oils domains and intensified the ongoing operations in the Niger-Delta region through the newly reconstituted Anti-Vandal Squad.

The PGC department since inception has issued licenses to over 1,364 PGCs from different states of the federation. (NANFeatures)