Following the renewed breakdown of law and order in Plateau state commandant of Nigeria Security and civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Commandant Olasupo Adebayo Solomon has called for more dialogue and understanding from the people as well sheath their swords for peace to reign, in an interview with Yakubu Busari he speaks on the NSCDC readiness to build confidence in security surveillance in the state and neighborhood watch.
The Excerpts
What are some of the main objectives of forming the NSCDC?
Civil Defence is to implement military Defence base on popular non-violent resistance to aggression .It is also nonviolent defence , some of the main objectives of forming the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) include;
To train and constantly maintained a body of virile and able body men and women to thoroughly be efficient in awarding services ,fire -fighting services, welfare service, security and defence of the citizens of the nation in peace and war times.
To be of assistance to the federal ,state and local governments whenever the service of the corps is needed or required to ensure that laws ,edits ,bye-laws are enforced, for example ,environmental sanitation, tax revenue drive ,tax monitoring, etc.
To provide humanitarian services to the sick ,injured ,orphaned ,and the blind ,both in and out of hospital and to assist the fire and law enforcement agencies by mounting rescue operations in areas of disaster.
Other objective of forming the NSCDC is to make the body a stand by auxiliary for the reinforcement of security agents and armed forces for the purpose of keeping peace and order in the country and to make her service available in times of emergency of disasters.
The corps has the aim or objectives of protecting the civilian populace. This was evidence during the Nigeria Civil War when the officers and men of the corps assisted the Nigeria soldiers in prosecuting the war by protecting civilian in captured territories and caring for the wounded soldiers.
The corps also maintain the objective of educating the civilian populace .on inception the corps had the objective of carrying out educational and enlightenment campaigns in and around the federal capital territory of LAGOS to sensitize members of civilian public on enemy attacks and how to save themselves from danger as most Nigerians living in and around Lagos territory then had little or no knowledge about war and its implications, a major objective the corps uphold to date.
What role has the NSCDC achieved in enhancing security network in the country?
First and foremost, the survival of our democracy lies on security, Democracy cannot survive in an environment of riot, disorder, revolt, strike, religious unrest, political gangsterism, intra-party squabbles and inordinate ambition to perpetuate self in governance unconstitutionally.
One of the core mandates or roles of the corps is to recommend to the minister of interior the registration of private guard companies, supervised and monitor the activities of all private guard companies and keep records for that purpose .In this era of international sponsored terrorism, the likelihood of using the private Guard companies as a training base is not far-fetched .Thus, the corps is vehemently and meticulously inspecting the premises of private Guard Companies ,their training facilities and appliances designed for their use as well as supervise and monitor the activities of all private Guard companies and keep a register for that purpose, beside recommending to the government the registration and deregulation of a private Guard company alike as a security network.
Another core mandate or function of the corps is to maintain 24HR surveillance over infrastructure, sites and projects of the federal, state and local governments. The corps being an international security organization has extended its tentacles in providing both external and domestic intelligence reports to government on any syndicate activity aimed at defrauding the federal, state or local government,or criminal activity aimed at depriving citizens of their property or lives as well as subversive activity by members of the public at frustrating is shared among internal security agencies and the international civil Defence organization.
The survival of democratic government is rooted in sound economic development and sound economic development cannot be attained in a situation of economic saboteurs and vandals .It is as a result of this that the corps is hell-bent in eliminating or put to final stop to power transmission lines and oil pipelines vandalism rampant in the country ,especially the Niger -Delta where the corps had a network with the military and other security agencies called the joint Taskforce (JTF)
Similitude to sound economic development and good democratic governance is corruption -free society. The corps is poised to expose any form of corruption inimical to growth and development in the country. The corps therefore established units such as anti-fraud and anti-corruption and transparency units that work cooperatively and collaboratively with the economic and financial crimes commission (EFCC) and the independent corrupt practices commission (ICPC)
Another core mandate or role of the NSCDC is disaster management .Disaster is a period of crisis and emergency when the nation is at its kneel, thus the corps is battle ready to combat any emergency that result from flood, earthquake hurricane, fire outbreak etc. as well as providing alternative shelter ,succor ,first aid and other essential services to the victims.
The corps is saddled with additional role or responsibility for protecting the country natural deposits such as metallic, non-metallic and industrial minerals by legitimizing the activities of miners’ .Every miner or mining organization must be licensed by the appropriate authority in order to generate revenue for the government and minimize damage to the environment.
Unlike previous times, NSCDC was not known with carrying arms, why this change in decision?
The enabling Act of the National Assembly that established the corps empowered the corps to maintain an armed squad. The NSCDC Act of 2007 (as amended ) in section 3(3) states ,”The corps shall maintain an armed squad which shall be entitled to bear fire arms and be deployed by the office of the commandant General ” .Do not forget the population of Nigeria is increasing with its attendance problems, so are the enormous responsibilities assigned to the corps . Barely two years ago, were two additional Directorates of crisis management and critical National assets and infrastructure added to four existing directorates. In early 2016, a new department Called mineral defender was added to the existing departments by the federal Government, hence the need to train more armed men and provide more fire arms to cater for the need of the society .There is therefore no change from the earlier decision.
Since your assumption of office to lead the plateau state command, how has the experience like?
So far, so good! My posting to the plateau is home -coming .Generally speaking, this is not my first Time on the plateau .I paid several visits to Jos in the past but not in official capacity. Specifically speaking, my posting to the Plateau Command of the corps was welcomed, just like any other Command, Divisions and units and these segments were manned by experienced and competent officers who make my work easy. The corps personnel on the Plateau, I must confess, are diligent, committed and loyal .The command will continue to work relentlessly with the state Government and the peace loving people of the state to maintain the regained glory of Plateau.
There are indications of massive recruitment in all the security arms of the country to complement effective role of federal Government towards ensuring safety of lives and property ,what is the state of the NSCDC in this regard?
Do remember that NSCDC is a department under the federal ministry of interior .The commandant General of the corps in his wisdom had tabled the needs of the corps before the dynamic minister of interior .The federal Government in turn has plan for the corps just like other security arms .The same federal Government will direct when it is ready to recruit and the commandant general will direct the commands accordingly.
In the past few years, we have had volunteers in your organization serving for a long time without being absorbed into system, yet recruitments take place, what is the fate of this people?
Most staff of the corps you are seeing today including me was once volunteer .This is to tell you that the commandant general values his volunteer staff as the regularized personnel. In all recruitments, the corps gives priority attention to regularization of her volunteers before considering fresh applicants.
You referred to the unabsorbed volunteers in the past few years who may have been absorbed without you knowing, but if there is any legitimate unabsorbed volunteer ,we shall communicate the appropriate authority accordingly, Don’t also forget that there are volunteers who willingly enlisted to serve not because they want to be fully absorbed because they are already over-aged and well to do people in the society.
What About Staff Discipline Motivation?
Discipline is considered to be the watch dog of the NSCDC ,it is a sensitive but vital facet of the corps development .it is a necessary ingredients for mental .physical ,spiritual and social well-being of corps members .Discipline serves as systematic training in obedience to regulations and authority, self-control ,orderliness, etc .There is an organ responsible for maintaining discipline at each level of the formation of the corps’ .The organ is headed by a legal counsel .Equally bodies such as the provost units ,crack monitoring squad were established essentially to bring all erring members of the corps throughout the country irrespective of their ranks or position to order .Membership of the monitoring squad is not known to the staffers for effective performance of their job ,while that of the provost marshal is known to all .They identify ,compile and investigate all erring personnel at all levels and forward recommendations of their findings to the appropriate disciplinary committee for further action.
In the area of motivation, the corps personnel are adequately trained in different fields of human endeavor .it will interest you to know that the corps personnel were trained both within and outside the country. A good number of us were trained in Nigeria immigration training school ,police training colleges ,National intelligence Agency ,Nigeria Army brigade of Guards, Nigeria army counter Terrorism ,EFCC ,ICPC ,to mention a few .A reasonable number of us were also trained abroad ,this include Pakistan, Burkina Faso ,Egypt, united states of America ,United Kingdom, south Africa ,Switzerland ,Israel ,China etc including some of the staff on the Plateau .The staff are paid salary regularly and the salary account .The corps has a cooperative society where willing members staff make contribution and obtain loan with low interest rate .If you see our staff at work ,in the field ,you will agree with me that the difference. Is clear ,inner -satisfaction through motivation makes an individual to put more effort that results in increase productivity.
Are there challenges?
There are challenges the command has no befitting office accommodation .The command in the past years operated from the 7th and 8th floors of the federal secretariat making it difficult for her to respond to emergencies and make it prone to enemy attacks .On my assumption of office recently I decided to relocate the state headquarters of the command to the former Northern Area command office for better coordinated response to emergencies ,regimentation and discipline .The present command headquarters is grossly inadequate to accommodate staff therefore ,some departments were left behind at the federal secretariat .The office accommodation is completely dilapidated ; a visit to the command will convince you. The command is in dire need of operational vehicles to maintain surveillance, respond to emergencies and protect lives and property better.
The command needs vehicles to carry out effective patrol in Jos and its surrounding areas, three Areas commands in the senatorial districts of plateau and in each division.
In the area of mining, the unlicensed miners otherwise known as illegal miners after several attempts to educate them to legitimize their mining activities still proved hostile and violent.
Recently at Binkan village of Bassa Local government, unregistered miners in large number engaged my men in gun battle but our men tactically withdrew. We are defenders not attackers .We therefore appeal to the local councils ,traditional rulers and other peace loving people to prevail over the illegal miners to embrace the direction of the present administration and support her for a better economy and society .mining is a legal activity ,doing it the right way is what are after to make the environment safe .However, if we have few people who insist on sabotaging the government effort ,they will be brought to book .
Your appeal to people of plateau state?
My appeal to the good people of plateau ,Nigeria security and civil Defence corps is here to provide security ,secure lives and property ,defend the peace loving people against all forms of threat to a sustainable living. Continue to love ,embrace and provide security information to the members of the corps ,they are not far from you ,the live among you .Together we can secure plateau ,protect her people ,sustain the regained glory of plateau ,make the state the envy of other states and Jos the state capital a model in the comity of state capitals.
