The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Dr Olusola Odumosu, has decried the rising incidence of molestation of minors across the country.
Dr Odumosu expressed his concern on Monday while receiving students of ECWA Hill Academy, Maitama, who were on an excursion to his office at Wuse Zone 5, Abuja. He called for collective action from stakeholders to tackle the growing menace.
“We have apart from our key mandate of protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, anti trafficking and gender units of the Command, that mediate extensively to protect children from being sexually molested, trafficked and for organ harvesting. It is sad to say that currently we are handling a case of a father molesting his nine (9) years old daughter.,” he said.
“We are deeply concerned about this insanity being perpetrated against minors, especially girls, and we are determined, through our Gender Unit and in collaboration with relevant agencies, to ensure such cases are not treated with kid gloves,” he added.
According to a statement issued by Monica Ojobi, Acting Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC FCT Command, Dr Odumosu urged the students to be cautious of inappropriate touches, even from parents, and encouraged them to speak out if such incidents occur.
Tracing the history of the Corps, Dr Odumosu explained that the NSCDC was established as a voluntary organisation in 1967, initially known as the Lagos Civil Defence Committee, with the primary aim of educating Nigerians on how to protect themselves from crossfire during the civil war. It evolved into a full-fledged paramilitary agency following the enactment of the NSCDC Act in 2003, later amended in 2007.
He encouraged the students to take their academics seriously, remain studious, and strive to make both their parents and the nation proud.
Dr Odumosu assured the students that through the Safe School Initiative of the Federal Government, spearheaded by the Corps, the FCT Command would continue to safeguard the welfare of students and teachers in schools. He also reiterated the Corps’ commitment to protecting critical national assets and infrastructure to ensure a better quality of life for citizens.
Speaking during the visit, the leader of the team and a tutor at ECWA Hill Academy, Mr Angbulu Joshua, commended the Corps for its numerous achievements. He noted that the visit aimed to provide the students with first-hand knowledge of the Corps’ operations.
Highlights of the excursion included an inspection of various units and tutorials on the functions of different departments within the Corps.
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