NSCDC to curb use of fake addresses to acquire National ID cards, driver’s licences, others

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has disclosed its readiness to deploy a technology – Address Verification System (AVS) – in collaboration with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) for the prevention of indiscriminate use of fake address to acquire national identity such as National Identity Card, driver’s licenses among others.

This came just as the Corps disclosed that 429 suspects arrested for various offences are under prosecution in the courts of law.

Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, made the disclosure on Wednesday during a special parade marking the World Civil Defence Day Celebration, an annual occasion for all the 60 member nations of the International Civil Defence Organisation (ICDO).

The event also coincided with the second year in office of the CG, who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as the third substantive Commandant General of NSCDC on February 28, 2021, and decorated on 1st March 2021.

Audi noted that within the two years of providing leadership to the Corps, he has upgraded the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre with state-of-the-art facilities to meet up with challenges of modern crime fighting and management.

He added that leveraging on ICT,  cyber experts in the Corps have designed, developed and deployed Electronic Disaster Alert Monitoring Application to enable NSCDC to receive and jointly respond to fire, flood and other emergencies and to enable the Corps to provide crowd control, crime prevention and protection for response officers and equipment during emergencies.

The Commandant General also revealed that during the just concluded 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Corps designed, developed and deployed Integrated Electronic Arrest and Reporting system (i-Ears) for classified communication of intelligence, documentation of report from Divisional Commands to the Commandant General via State Commandants, Confidential Inter-Agency Data Sharing, Emergency Threat Reporting on real-time basis which was fully deployed to live stream and monitor security situation across the country.

Audi said: “The rapid spread of supporting digital infrastructure and devices has created the foundation for our efforts to jointly design, develop, and about deploy Address Verification System (AVS) in collaboration with NIPOST for the prevention of indiscriminate use of fake address to acquire national identity such as drivers licenses etc.

“The Corps has also maintained a dogged fight against the activities of criminal elements such as vandals, economic saboteurs and oil thieves with the use of advanced technologies. Consequently, between January 2022 and to date, over 546 suspects have been arrested, 429 under prosecution, 51 convicted, 71 illegal refineries destroyed, 22 illegal oil bunkering sites destroyed, 134 trucks impounded, 36 boats and other equipment used in perpetrating illegal oil bunkering confiscated.

“We are determined to make the Corps a world-class organization, that is why we are not relenting, but working hard to key into the global space and tapping from the experience of other members of the ICDO,” he said.

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