The National Council for Civil Society Organizations (NCCSOs) has commended the ongoing reforms in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as part measure to tackle the spate of insecurity challenges in the country.
The Executive Director of the council, Comrade Emmanuel Johnny, at a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja, urged the corps to do more to ensure that the nation’s society is safe for the citizenry.
He also commended the corps for establishing a formidable female squad to checkmate the kidnapping of school children and enhance security in the nation’s educational institutions.
Johnny said since Dr. Ahmed Audi, assumed office as Commandant-General (CG) of NSCDC, about eight months ago, the council is satisfied with the various reforms put in place to reposition the corps for greater professionalism and better security service delivery to the country.
He also rejected allegations of corruption leveled against the CG by “a faceless Civil Society activist”.
He said that Audi’s appointment as CG of NSCDC by President Muhammadu Buhari was a good thing to have happened to the corps.
“For us, we have seen the new NSCDC Commandant-General, Dr. Ahmed Audi, as a progressive reformer and outstanding security professional. We have been extremely grateful to note the following achievements that he has recorded in the short time since he assumed leadership in the Civil Defence.
“The Safe School Initiative which includes the establishment, training and commissioning of a formidable, well-kitted female squad to checkmate the menace of kidnapping of school children in the country and stop any kind of threat or breach of security in our educational institutions.
“This has been replicated in all Civil Defence State Commands across the country. The vulnerability survey of all schools in the country to determine the number of schools that are prone to attack by bandits and kidnappers and has helped in developing strategies for schools’ protection in Nigeria.
“Staff Welfare which includes the placement of personnel on their respective appropriate ranks. The fostering of steps towards payment of staff promotion arrears.
“The sanitation of the promotion process and the successful release of the 2019 promotion exercise and distribution of letters to successful personnel across state commands,” Johnny said.
He also said that the recently completed promotions exercise have been received as one of the most transparent and meritorious in the history of the corps.
He said the promotion of all junior officers on levels 03, 04, 05 and 06 and payment of disengagement allowances to retirees who were abandoned and had lost hope of survival are some of the initiatives that has boosted the performance of the corps.
He said that Audi has within his short time in office, provided capacity building for the personnel including the roll-out of operational vehicles and equipment, repositioning of the Private Guards Security Company and licensing of about 249 new Private Guards Companies, and also ensuring synergy with other national security agencies in tackling insecurity in the country.
He said, “The payment of burial benefits to over 120 next-of-kins of deceased personnel long forgotten. The issuance of group personal accident cheques to over 30 officers and men who suffered varying degrees of accidents in the cause of discharging their duties within the last five years.”
