Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday assured the Commandant-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) of the state government’s collaboration to ensure adequate protection is given to the citizens and state assets.
Giving the assurance on behalf of Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, while receiving the management of NSCDC led by the Commandant-General of the Corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, on a courtesy visit in his Office at the Round House, Alausa, Ikeja, said the collaboration became imperative in the face of many challenges in the country.
The governor said the Corps should be rest assured of the government’s support for the interest of the state, noting that there were so many reasons to partner with the body in protecting the state being the asset base of the country.
“This is where everything is, 70 per cent commercial and air freight transactions are here, so it is important we protect the state and this translates to protecting the country,” Sanwo-Olu said.According to him, the collaboration would bring a new dimension to the existing security agencies in the state such as the Neighborhood Watch and the rest, adding “There is a whole lot that we can do together.
“In Lagos, we support our security architecture a lot and as a sub-sovereign who is carrying this weight also, it is important that you reach out to us and bring your cases to us,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed his joy to hear that the Corps is intended to secure all the schools in the country, especially in Lagos, describing such move as a huge responsibility “as Lagos alone has over a thousand primary schools, almost 690 junior and senior secondary schools, and of course, all the tertiary institution schools and that is a whole lot.”He, therefore, charged the Corps to collaborate with the state government to see how the security of the schools in the state can be mapped out, noting that it was important to secure the children and teachers in these schools.
Speaking on the Corp’s suggested inclusion in the State Security Council by the Commandant-General, Governor Sanwo-Olu noted that there was no problem, saying that the state government saw no reason to decline such request.
“I do not see any problem in the corps joining the State Security Council meeting which is on securing the state, I am sure the corps will have contributions to make at the meeting,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commandant-General, NSCDC, Audi, appreciated the state governor for the support and assistance given to the state command in its quest of safeguarding and protecting National Assets and citizens in the state.
The Commandant-General added that he was in the state to boost the morale and encourage his officers as they discharged their duties effectively and efficiently to the state and the nation at large.
“The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps will continue to work closely with the state government in ensuring the safety of citizens of the state particularly school children,” he said.
Audi, while congratulating the governor for his re-election for the second term, said, “The re-election is a testament that you served the people very well and delivered dividends of democracy to them”.
He, therefore, requested for the inclusion of the State Commandant of the corps in the State Security Council to enable the corps to contribute more effectively to security issues in the state as the protection of national assets and lives of citizens was central and germane to the corps.
Besides, he also requested for more logistics support for the corps and a permanent site to build a befitting State Command Headquarters in Lagos State.