By Iheanyi Enwerem
A foremost group called Imo Stakeholders Engagement Forum on Monday dismissed the campaign of calumny against the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi.
The group’s leadership led by the Chairman, Ken Abiaziem, and Secretary, Mazi Everest Amadi, stated this to newsmen in Owerri, while condemning the sponsored media attacks against the CG, Audi.
The group accused those who lunched campaigns of calumny for the removal of the Commandant General as persons with negative, mischievous intensions, adding that so far the progress and achievements of the NSCDC boss under Audi leadership has tremendously changed the narrative and would bring the command to it’s fulfillment in due course.
In addition, the group drummed approval and support for the current administration of the NSCDC with reference to its notable achievements in the fight against economic saboteurs ravaging the oil sector and degrading the
economy of the nation and its common wealth.
“In clear terms, the trend in which the NSCDC had risen from obscurity to become one of the most
enviable security outfits under Audi’s leadership is rather worth applauding than condemning.
“We have closely watched with kin observation the trajectory of successes and achievements of the
NSCDC in the past years; the NSCDC whose establishment Act 2003 of the National Assembly empowers
it to provide 24 hour surveillance for public and private property, maintain law and order was ammended in 2007 where the functions of the Corps further strengthens it to bear arms and safeguard all Critical National Assets and Infrastructure which includes combating the activities of Vandals and oil thieves and securing oil pipelines, protection of all government utilities, disaster mitigation and crisis
management, Training, Supervision, licensing and regulations of the Private Guard Companies in the
nation have on the overall perspective and assessment shown that the NSCDC has grown to become an elite organization of international standard and should be allowed to continue under the present Audi led administration”. They stated
The group also noted that with the trend of extraordinary transformation in the Corps occasioned by
improved Staff welfare where backlog of Promotions and corresponding arrears of such were settled,
review of Staff Insurance Scheme which provides succour to the Next of Kin of Personnel who dies in
the line of duty, Training and Retraining of officers and men with the massive arrests and prosecution of
thousands of suspects who allegedly engaged in Crude oil theft and vandalism of oil pipelines in Rivers,
Akwa lbom, Imo, Cross River, Bayelsa and other States of the federation; subsequent arrests of Railway vandals, foiling of over 48 kidnap attempts of school students and teachers are very distinguished and results oriented efforts of the CG.
Furthermore, creation of Civil Defence Academy in Jos, Plateau State, Creation of NSCDC Arms Squared Training School at Ugede Development Area, Nassarawa LGA of Nassarawa State, creation of NSCDC female squared to aid in tracking kidnapping and other restiveness in schools nationwide, creation of the NSCDC special Mines Marshal to combat the menace of illegal mining in the country’s minining sector, introduction of career progression courses for personnel of the NSCDC, increase in the welfare packages of Corps’ personnel, massive acquisition of arms for NSCDC operational use, purchase of mini fire fighting tankers for Disaster management in case of emergencies.
Others are procurement of Armored Personnel Career(APC) vehicles for the NSCDC to use in fighting crime and criminalities in the country, Robust staff welfare and motivational packages for personnel of NSCDC through massive promotion, conversion and upgrading as well as provision of staff welfare buses, construction of official and residential buildings within and outside the NSCDC Headquarters, Procurement of operational and office equipments, destruction of over 350 illegal refineries in the Niger Delta region, arrest and prosecution of vandals in several courts of competent jurisdiction within the country of which the conviction rates are equally the highest in the history of the NSCDC, arrest and recovery of critical assets and railway materials worth over five(5) billion, initiator of the save the school innovation program for the protection of vulnerable schools across the country, creation of the Commandant Generals Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS), maintaining effective collaborations with other Security Agencies amongst others.”
The group appealed to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to reject any untoward agitations to remove the NSCDC boss, whom they said means well.
” In the interest of this noble organization and it’s sustainability we must understand that leadership and learning are indispensable to each other, the NSCDC is of truth going through a face of transformation from what it used to be to what it ought to be. Therefore we must support the present administration and allow the Corps to grow”. The group opined