*To Deploy 30,000 Operatives For 2023 Elections
*No conflict of role between police, NSCDC
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Dr Ahmed Audi, Commandant General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), says Nigerians are not ripe to be allowed to bear arms.
Audi made the observation when he was featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.
“I strongly disapproved of it. Even now that there is no law in existence, you still have the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the hands of people.
“It has to do with civilisation and education.
“Even in Europe and America where they have that law where virtually everybody once you can drive can have arms, they are trying to control it now because of how some events unfold.
“In the world, especially in Europe and America, somebody will just wake up and just go to a school and open fire on kids. You know that is madness.
“And so for me, I don’t think we are there yet to allow citizens to carry arms.”
The CG also spoke on the efforts being made by the NSCDC to address farmers’/herders’ clashes in the country.
He said that the Corps, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, had trained over 3,000 Agro Rangers to provide security to farms and other agro-allied investments.
The CG said that the unit was a specialised department, which also help to reconcile farmers and herders.
“They are still there and presently we have even trained about 3,000 of them and as you can even see me sitting here, this is their uniform, the uniform of Agro Rangers.
“They are under a department called Peace and Conflict Resolution, and using alternative dispute resolution, they have settled over 1000 cases between farmers and herders nationwide.
“You can see them visibly in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Adamawa, Enugu and they are there doing their work, “he said.
The Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Audi, also dismissed insinuations of conflict of responsibility between NSCDC and the Nigeria Police Force.
He said the corps was a specialised agency created by the Nigerian government charged with a very specialised function as encapsulated in the national security strategy document approved by the office of the National Security Adviser.
According to him, it is stated very clearly there that the corps is a lead agency in the area of critical national assets and infrastructure.
“Now, agreed that the police is in charge of internal security. So what we expect in the area of pipeline vandalism is that when other agencies arrest they hand it over to us like from the Navy and the Army, they hand it over to us and we prosecute because we have the mandate.
“If you read, if you check the document, Petroleum Sabotage Act, it is stated clearly that it is Civil Defence and EFCC that has the power to prosecute oil thieves and it is very clear there and perhaps sometimes we go for advice too because of their experience.
“We go to get advice from the Navy and other institutions for guidance because they are in the high sea and they have been arresting these people.
“And so when they hand over to us, we prosecute, and then once we take to court, we leave it for the judiciary to decide on whatever happens to them, ” he explained.
Audi said there was no basis for the call for a merger of NSCDC and Police, saying the corps had remained focused on doing its job without any form of a contest with anyone.
He also said that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will deploy 30,000 operatives to ensure peace during the upcoming general elections in Nigeria.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation is billed for another general election, starting on Feb. 25 next year, when the president and vice-president will be elected.
According to him, the NSCDC has perfected plans to deploy all resources needed to provide security during the election.
“The corps is poised fairly, and ready to apply all the arsenals needed to provide security and safety for the elections.
“We have an operations department of over 30,000 personnel but then we will also deploy others when the time comes.
“Normally we have the bulk of our people in operations and those who are in operations partake in election processes,” he said.
Audi said that the corps had also perfected plans to begin seminars and workshops in October to discuss the preparedness of the organization towards the general elections.
“We want to tell our people that if you go and involve yourself by becoming partisan you are on your own.
“There are certain things we have introduced in our Standard Operating Procedure — that once you go partisan and you are caught, you will face sanctions and you are on your own.
“So we are ready to partake in the election like I said because we are apolitical and we are going to provide a level-playing field for all citizens to be involved in the elections and exercise their franchise.”
Audi said that the NSCDC partook in election activities because it’s a member of the Inter-agency, Consultative Committee on Election Security.
“Police is the lead agency actually because it’s a fact that they are in charge of internal security but we have other services in that committee which includes the military, para-military and virtually all security agencies.
“We are ready and you know that our role as a security agency is supposed to be apolitical and neutral,” he said
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