The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, announced that it would deploy men and equipment into designated schools across the country to curtail the spate of attacks and kidnapping of students.
Hillary Kelechi Madu, the acting commandant general, ACG, who made the announcement, expressed sadness over the kidnap of students of Government Secondary school, Kagara, Niger State, by suspected bandits.
He said he called the meeting of states and zonal commanders of the Corps in Abuja against the backdrop of deplorable security situations across the country and the urgent need for the Corps to play its expected roles to justify its funding by the government.
“We must play our roles to justify the huge funding of this institution by the government. And there is no better time to do this than now. In the past we focused on arresting pipeline vandals and other sabotuers.
“But now, the security situation in the country is a pointer for us to show our relevance by acting decisively to restore peace and orderliness, “Madu asserted.
The ACG who addressed reporters shortly after the opening ceremony of the meeting with the senior officers of the Corps, noted that the Commander of the NSCDC in Niger state could not make it to the meeting because of the kidnapping of the students and the search for their rescue by all Security institutions.
Madu said all the 12 security institutions in the country should accept blame for the deplorable security challenges even though they are doing their best, stressing that until such a time peace and orderliness return to all parts of the country, their jobs are yet to finish.
He said journalists and civil society, traditional rulers, and religious leaders should give security institutions Intelligence reports regarding movements of strangers within their domains, stressing that Intelligence sharing remains the key towards neutralising bandits and kidnappers across the country.
The NSCDC boss said about 5,000 mediators and conflict resolution experts have been trained by the Corps to mediate and reconcile farmers and herders in different parts of the country, noting that with their efforts as well as the efforts of the Agro Rangers, scores of farmers are now returning to their farms.
He said the present leadership of the Corps is poised to reposition the Corps and make it work according to the expectations of Nigerians, stressing that no acts of indiscipline, insubordination, and corruption would be tolerated in the service.
Source: The Nation
