The Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has warned that henceforth, state and zonal commandants will be held liable for attacks on government facilities in their domains.
He gave the warning at an emergency meeting he had with top commandants of the NSCDC in Abuja Tuesday.
Audi said the meeting was a strategic meeting to reinforce security and ensure maximum protection of national assets across Nigeria.
“The kind of conflict we’re facing is the one that has held countries to ransom. You must brace up and live up to expectation, especially considering our core mandate.
“We all know that the NSCDC is the lead agency in the area of protection of critical national assets. You’re charged to ensure protection of these assets.
“Henceforth, any commandants who are not doing so would be sanctioned. You’re to liaise with the controllers of correctional services.
“Zonal commandants should ensure they coordinate operations, they’d be answerable when there’s any attack on facilities.
“I’ve called you to this meeting to read the Riot Act to you. The Nigerian citizens are putting high hope on us to collaborate with other security agencies to find a lasting solution to insecurity in the country.
“Those of you serving in the South-south where we have our oil facilities and companies, you must ensure you henceforth fight oil thieves to a standstill. We’ve seen that overtime, the mainstay of the Nigerian economy is crude oil.
“Henceforth, we’re going to hold commandants responsible if there is an attack on any critical national assets within your domain. You’d answer for it. You must be up and doing. You must deploy your personnel to all critical national assets and infrastructures sites like railways, airports and pipelines.
“Also, our correctional facilities must be secured. One of the strategies applied by these hoodlums is to unleash mayhem to cause devastating effects by attacking our correctional facilities because they have their members held there. As directed by the Minister of Interior, we must help beef up security at correctional facilities in the country,” he said.