Informants within security agencies aiding criminality – NSCDC boss

The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi, has said that informants within security services and society are responsible for the increase in crimes and criminality in the society.

He said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the stakeholders’ summit on the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure held at the NAF Conference Centre.

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“The nefarious activities of these criminal elements are being strengthened not only by informants within security formations, but equally those within the society; hence the need to engage our traditional rulers, religious, community, political and youth leaders in the process of finding a solution to this menace,” he said.

Audi said the rise in crimes constituted a threat to critical national assets and infrastructure, citing Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno and other states of the north as examples.

He expressed concern over a statement by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, that the government spent N60bn annually on the repair and maintenance of vandalised oil pipelines across Nigeria.

He stressed the need for the security agencies to re-strategise for better protection of the national assets from assault by criminal elements.

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said the federal, state and local governments were massively investing in the development and construction of various infrastructures that would support employment generation, poverty reduction and comfort and wellbeing of Nigerians.