THE Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Muhammadu Gana, has sought the support of the United States Army in the area of training for the Agro Rangers squad of the corps.
Gana made the request when he received the United States National Guard, California, led by Adjutant-General David Baldwin, on courtesy visit at the NSCDC national headquarters, Abuja.
He said: ‘’It is only the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps that has a 10,000-man strong team on disaster management which is a full directorate in the agency that mitigates both natural and man-made disasters in Nigeria.
“I humbly request for a thorough capacity building for the Agro Rangers to enhance their function in the discharge of their duties to the Nigerian state as 5,000 personnel is needed for take-off, but only 1,500 is on ground.”
The NSCDC boss thanked the delegation for the visit, saying that the corps had gained immensely from the cordial relationship recalling that within a space of two months of the first visit of the US National Guard, a trailer load of equipment was received by NSCDC from the guard which was sent to the North-East.
According to Gana, the equipment boosted the morale of the officers and men of the corps in the service to their fatherland in the North-East.
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He revealed that the NSCDC set up the Agro-Rangers squad to protect agricultural investments and contain the problems that had persisted between farmers and herders in Nigeria.
He said this was to ensure peace in the agriculture sector in line with the commitment of the Federal Government to diversification of the economy.
The NSCDC boss disclosed further that 5,000 personnel are needed for the smooth take-off of the Agro Rangers Squad, but the corps had trained and dispatched only 1,500 personnel into the field because of paucity of fund to go full scale in making the 5,000-strong team ready, pointing out that there is still a shortfall of 3,500 personnel.
While acknowledging the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Interior in actualising the goal, the CG also appealed to the USA National Guard for support in the area of training of the corps’ personnel.
He revealed that a good number of state governors have already approached the NSCDC for the presence of the Agro Rangers squad in their respective states.
He said this could not pull through due to the shortfall currently being experienced.
The Adjutant-General of the USA National Guard, California, said the partnership with the NSCDC, would be sustained, saying that he and his team have really enjoyed a sound working relationship with the corps
He pledged that the national guard would put in place training programmes that would build strong capacity for the Agro Rangers, disclosing that this would surely be delivered in January, 2020.