THE Acting Commandant-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr Hilary Kelechi Madu has condemned the recent spate of attacks and abduction of school children, saying this has dented all the security agencies in the country.
While reacting to the attack on the Goverment Science College, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State and abduction of students and teachers, the NSCDC boss said the Corps would consider deployment of some of its personnel to beef up security in schools.
He said this would be done in collaboration with other security agencies in the country, noting that the task of securing the country was not only for Civil Defence, Police, or the military but for all to join hands in responding to the challenges.
He said even though it was extremely difficult to deploy the personnel physically to all schools in the country, especially in a state like Niger State that has the largest landmass in Nigeria, saying what is important is intelligence sharing by members of the communities with security agencies in order to nip the plans of the criminals on the bud.
Madu spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at his maiden meeting with top management of the Corps, at the headquarters of NSCDC, with Deputy Commandants, Assistant Commandants, Zonal Commanders and State Commandants of the Corps, stressing that the recent events in the Corps coupled with the present insecurity situation in the country underscored the meeting.
He, therefore, called on community leaders, religious leaders and other stakeholders in the communities around to share intelligence of happenings around them, saying there was no way security agencies could physically cover a huge landmass of Nigeria.
The NSCDC boss said: “What we are doing is to collaborate more with other sister agencies, share intelligence together and deploy more people to schools. The only thing is that the staff to be deployed in the whole of Niger State is not there.
“Thank God that the Federal Government is allowing us to do recruitment every year now, so, every year by the time we recruit more men, we will have more people to be deployed to schools. But that is not going to be an excuse.
“It is a dent on all the security agencies in Nigeria that criminals can enter into a school and then carry children,” he said.
The Acting CG warned officers and men of the Corps to shun corruption in all ramifications, saying henceforth, State Commandants would have to offer an explanation for any glory taken by other agencies over a duty that is part of NSCDC core mandate.
Madu said: “However, as an insider, I have the opportunity to feel the pulse of the staff whose morale is at a very low ebb. To address the numerous issues, I began an engagement drive-by addressing the staff at the National Headquarters allaying their fears on pending issues.
“I have constantly engaged my management team on issues affecting the Corps with a view to charting a new course in the shortest time possible.
I have called you today to join my team to salvage the Corps.
“The government is looking up to us to deliver on both our core and expanded mandates. The insecurity in the country has been heightened with persistent farmers/herders clashes, kidnapping insurgency and banditry.
“The Hon. Minister has charged us to provide a clear role in the area of Agro Rangers to boost the food production of the country.
“It is therefore our responsibility to rejig our operational capacity and capability to drive this policy trust of government.
“I call on you to do away with corruption and ineptitude and embrace a dedication to duties for us to bring back the lost glory of the Corps,” he said.
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