NSCDC CG, Audi speaks on insecurity in Nigeria, losing of personnel

…calls for collaboration of governors, service commanders in the fight against insecurity 

By Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki 

The Commandant general of the Nigeria security and civil Defence corps, NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi has called for an enhanced collaboration between the state governors, service commanders and stakeholders in various states of the federation to assist in the fight against insecurity in the nation.

Audi made this known while addressing the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru and other stakeholders at a courtesy visit at the new government House, centinary city Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State.

The Commandant general, Audi who earlier addressed service commanders; Nigeria Army, police, DSS, immigration, correctional centre and FRSC among others, also commissioned some legacy projects constructed by the Ebonyi NSCDC commandant, Francis Nnadi at the state headquarters.

Audi, who was on two day tour in Ebonyi State lamented that: “On the insecurity in the nation, we are experiencing a new conflict.What is the name of that conflict? Asymmetric conflict.If it was a normal conventional war, I think by now we would have ended it since.

“But this is asymmetric. These are bad guys who operate like gorillas. They come out very calculative, hit on targets, cause devastating and degrading effects,and then return back to base.

“And if you have been following how events, how the response of security agencies are concerned, including the trajectory of it, you will have seen how we have been losing a lot of personnel. All security agencies are losing personnel. The military are losing personnel.

“The police are losing personnel. The NSCDC are losing personnel, the DSS,the Immigration, Custom are losing personnel.And you know that the Corps is involved in all the joint operations nationwide.

“Because of our centrality as far as security is concerned. And don’t forget, like I said, this is asymmetric conflict. One of their targets, these bad guys, one of their targets, they want to be targeting security personnel” he lamented.

He, however enumerated the efforts of the corps in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria to include; arrest of thousands of illegal miners/ hoodlums attacking critical infrastructures, closure of hundreds of illegal oil pits across the country, etc. 

Responding, the governor of Ebonyi State Francis Nwifuru, requested for a robust partnership and deployment of additional 400 NSCDC personnel in the state, to enable it fight against insecurity in the various mining site in the state.

He also submitted a list of 194 potential recruits from Ebonyi State for federal consideration, stressing that their intake would enhance security and reduce unemployment in the state.

According to Nwifuru “security is everybody’s business in a way.And that is why you see that even when they talk about sit-at-home, there’s nothing like sit-at-home here. It’s not because we are very much perfect, but it’s because of the way God designed it, that once we talk, our people will hear.

“This issue of attacking and attacking, I think this is the only state,since I assumed office, that kidnapping has never happened. If any other states have witnessed that tremendous peace, maybe I don’t know, but I don’t mean to say my state is the only state.

“We have been very lucky with the NSCDC state’s commandants.We have been very lucky, extremely very lucky, startingfrom the former commandant that retired, she worked very tirelessly,and she’s the one that built that secretariat. 

“I’ve never witnessed a very bad commandant. And this commandant, (Francis Nnadi)came,he’s well coordinated, very unique, and he’s an understanding officer. And that’s the way I said office ought to be” he stated. 

The governor, Nwifuru also commissioned the ultra modern chapel built by the Commandant, Francis Nnadi and named after him.

Responding, the Ebonyi NSCDC commandant, Francis Nnadi vowed to combat all issues of insecurity and continue to give voice to the voiceless in the state.

He applauded the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru for approving the landscaping of NSCDC State headquarters and commissioning the ultra modern chapel at the command.