Yakubu Busari
The Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps ,NSCDC,Plateau state Dr Olasupo Solomon has said the Command has divisional officers in the 17 Local Government Areas to serve citizens, politicians in the State.
Speaking to journalists in reaction to allegations of taking side over PDP wards swearing in ceremony in the state, Solomon frowned at the allegation as he said; “we always send our men to either the People Democratic Party (PDP) or APC rallies anywhere in the state in order to protect lives and property of citizens.
He said; “The Chairman of Lantang Ubandoma Laven do not have any civil defence officer attached to him as claimed by section of the media.
There is no point in time we drafted civil defence officer or officers as the case may be to accompany the Chairman of Lantang Hon Ubandoma Laven which we are challenging the journalist or anybody to verify.
Where then is the story of civil defence accompanying politicians came in, as insinuated by the writer of the story that has gone viral in the media, I don’t know how the writer of the story got his facts from.
As the Corp of the command, we say we have never and we will never take side with any political party because is not part of our mandate.
Nigeria and Civil Defence Corps is for the generality of the public to protect lives and properties of all , and not some politicians as insinuated by some mischief makers.
Our advice and message is for journalist to always verify their stories and get their facts right before going to the press
Our mandate majorly, and most cases engaged in crowed control either for political party, religious organisation or government function even during electioneering period.
That is not to say we are supporting a particular political party the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, in Plateau state have been subjected to public observation, alleging that they have grossly undermined their callings, by allowing themselves to be used as will tools by political class to suppress others. It is on good record that sometimes last year; Senator I D. Gyang in company of some Civil Defence personnel stormed the Plateau State party secretariat to settle some political scores with his opponents, which resulted into a fracas, but it took the intervention of the police mobile force who in a commodore style stormed the place, fire several live ammunition into the air to disperse the two sides that were involved in the violence at that moment
Investigation has shown that, while the people were about putting that ugly incident behind them, Men of the NSCDC have continued to conduct themselves in a suspicious manner, a circumstances that has propelled one of the communities in Plateau state to take them up in a more civilized manner, by petitioning group under the aegis of Concerned Langtang North Citizens, has packaged a well written complaint to the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) National Headquarters, Abuja, to Complain against his personnels in the state.In the Petition tagged,” COMPLAINT AGAINST THE USE OF NSCDC PERSONNE AS POLITICAL ARMED GANGS”, the Petitions read thus: The above subject matter refers;”We write to draw your attention to an ugly trend that has been going on for some time in Plateau State. The NSCDC in Plateau State seem to be a tool left in the hands of Peoples Democratic Party stalwarts.”
The most disturbing part is the recent hiring of these men of your revered force by the Executive Chairman, Langtang North on Saturday l21st March, 2020 which was said to be in the region of N1.8 million. 40 armed personnel of the Corps were dispatched from their headquarters in Jos to perform an illegal act of protecting a faction of the FDP in the botched congresses in Langtang North.”This action of the Plateau State Command baffled us as all other forces adhered to the directive of the Federal Government on the Corona virus scare.
The state government had on Friday 20th March, 2020 issued a statement through the Secretary to the State Government restricting public gatherings amongst others.”On this faithful day, that is 21st March, 2020, the PDP Plateau State resolved to shelve the congresses in view of government directive banning public gathering.
”The Chairman, Joshua Laven again in his desperate move to impose his friend on the people, lodged some whooping amount of money with the Plateau State Command of the NSCDC on the 22nd March, 2020 for the services of the same number of personnel to enable him conduct an illegal congress on the 23rd instant.
The officers were in Langtang and barricaded the entrances to the Langtang mini stadium. A large crowd of supporters of more than 2000 people converged in and around the stadium during the illegal congress;”The following posers suffices:. Is the NSCDC Plateau State oblivious of the measures put in place to safeguard the lives of Nigerian citizens and Plateau State in particular via a circular dated 13th March, 2020? ls NSCDC Plateau State enabled under the law to be hired as an armed gang by politicians? Is NSCDC Plateau State not bothered about the safety of Plateau people or Langtang North in particular where they enabled thousands to mingle freely thereby endangering the lives of our people in the process negating the social distancing advise?””We believe that the actions of the Plateau State command of the NSCDC has political connotations and should be investigated as this paints the Command in bad light.
”The Command should not have allowed itself to be used by political desperado, the likes of Hon. Beni Lar and Joshua Laven as armed gangs to settle their internal power tussles without regard to government directives or the safety Of the people.”The Command’s action is reckless and condemnatory PLEA: We appeal to your good offices to investigate this matter and carry out disciplinary measures on all those who contributed in flouting this order and placed the safety of our people in jeopardy.
This will serve as a deterrence to safeguard the image of the NSCDC in the eyes of reasonable members of the public.
