National council for CSOs back Audi-led NSCDC, hail Buhari

The National Council For Civil Society Organizations (NACCSO) has declared support for ongoing progressive reforms in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) under the leadership of Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi as Commandant-General

This was contained in a national press conference read by NACCSO  Director General, Comrade Emmanuel Johnny.

The statement reads:

Protocol…

We will like to start this Press Briefing by first thanking His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR for appointing Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, in February this year, as the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). As we see it, the President’s appointment of this spritely, cerebral, highly-presentable, active and modern officer to head this important national security agency, at this critical juncture in Nigeria’s developmental history, is highly-responsive and responsible.

All well-meaning stakeholders will fully agree that the Nigerian Security Establishment need the injection of fresh new blood into its apex leadership cadre to positively turn things around for the giant of Africa. For us, Dr. Ahmed Audi’s intellectual mobility, security professionalism, wide intra-NSCDC experience and presentable public personality are clear signs that his meritorious appointment as NSCDC Commandant-General is in the best interest of national security and wellbeing in Nigeria. We again thank Mr. President for this good appointment.

Having thanked Mr. President, let now inform all gentlemen of the Press here present about the main reason that has mandated our holding of this Press Conference. Since this new Commandant-General, Dr. Audi, fully assumed office in NSCDC some eight months ago, we have carefully taken note that he has been implementing a spate of progressive reforms in the Civil Defence; which have clearly been repositioning the Corps for greater professionalism and better security service delivery to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. While observing and carefully documenting these new positive trends in the NSCDC, we have recently been rudely shocked by the unbelievable display of senseless and baseless activism by some unknown and faceless actors claiming to be Civil Society activist against the progressive reforms being presently implemented in NSCDC by Dr. Ahmed Audi. These shadowy ‘Civil Society’ actors have recently insulted every sense of decency and truth by their false claims that the nascent administration of Dr. Audi in NSCDC is guilty of Corruption. As the legendary Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” We, therefore, have chosen not to be silent or neutral in the face of this great accusatorial injustice to this fine and distinguished Senior Nigeria Law Officer whose is meritoriously serving his fatherland at this point in our history when national security is our topmost national priority. We have chosen not to fold our hands and watch some furtive ragtag forces of injustice persecute and oppress Nigeria through their clear evil agenda to weaken national security by their attempt to take a principal national security actor down for reasons best known to them only.

For us, we have seen the new NSCDC Commandant-General, Dr. Audi, as a progressive reformer and outstanding security professional. We have been extremely grateful to note the following achievements that he has recorded in the short time since he assumed leadership in the Civil Defence:

1. Safe School Initiative which includes the establishment, training and commissioning of a formidable, well-kitted Female Squad to checkmate the menace of kidnapping of school children in the country and stop any kind of threat or breach of security in our educational institutions. This has been replicated in all Civil Defence State Commands across the country. The vulnerability survey of all schools in the country to determine the number of schools that are prone to attack by bandits and kidnappers; and, this has helped in developing strategies for schools’ protection in Nigeria.
2. Staff Welfare which includes the placement of personnel on their respective appropriate ranks. The fostering of steps towards payment of staff promotion arrears. The sanitization of the promotion process and the successful release of the 2019 promotion exercise and distribution of letters to successful personnel across State Commands. The recently completed promotions have been received as one of the most transparent and meritorious in the history of the Corps. The promotion of all junior officers; level 03, 04, 05 and 06. The payment of disengagement allowances to retirees who were abandoned and had lost hope of survival. The payment of burial benefits to over 120 next of kins of deceased personnel long forgotten. The issuance of Group Personal Accident cheques to over 30 officers and men who suffered varying degrees of accidents in the cause of discharging their duties within the last five years. The promotion of some Deputy Commandants who have been stagnant on their rank for ten or more years to the rank of Commandant. The provision of 200 units of two bedrooms and three bedrooms housing for junior and intermediate officers.
3. Capacity Building which includes the roll-out of operational vehicles and equipment to different departments and directorates. The Commandant-General’s Merit Awards to outstanding personnel. The Establishment of the Rapid Response Squad. The appointment of Acting DCGs and the administration of Oath of Allegiance for the first time in the Corps’ history. The launching of NSCDC Gender policy document.
4. Training and Manpower Development which includes greater focus of attention on training and manpower development as a major tool for human capital development. The activation of new regimental and capacity-building training programs for officers and the men; such as: the two-day capacity building programme for all State Commandants; the First Provost National Conference; the First Commandants’ Orientation Workshop for newly promoted and serving State Commandants; the eight-week intensive Arms Training for 276 officers and men. The Servicom Training workshop towards effective service delivery; the Workshop/Seminar for Medical Officers; the First Civil Defence Security Empowerment Workshop 2021 for NSCDC officers in the North East Zone; the ‘Train the Trainers’ Workshop on Humanitarian Assistance in West Africa; Series of Seminars in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in the South-South, North-East and North-West.
5. Repositioning of the Private Guards Security Company Department which entails the sanitization of the Department to orchestrate private guards security service delivery in Nigeria in line with globally acceptable standards; the licencing of 249 New Private Guards Companies comprising 190 in Category A and 59 in Category B; the renewal of the annual operating licence of 2,659 already existing Private Security Guards Companies comprising 1,558 in Category A and 1,101 in Category B; the revocation of the annual operating licence of 209 Private Security Guards Companies who failed to renew their operational license for the last five years and above in accordance with the Private Guards Company Act 367 LFN 1990 Section 11, Subsection 2 and the subsequent approval of the Honourable Minister of Interior.
6. Stakeholders Meeting for the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, bringing all critical stakeholders in the sector together under one roof for the purpose of sensitization and development of appropriate strategies to tackle the new wave in criminal vandalism.
7. Synergy with other National Security Agencies in form of inter-Agency Courtesy Calls to advocate and enhance cooperation, collaboration and partnership; and avoid rivalry and pointless competition.
8. Sport Improvement leading to NSCDC Athletes securing 17-Gold, 11-Silver and 23-Bronze in the National Sports Festival, Edo 2021; NSCDC SCA Bako winning Gold in the National Open Golf Championship, Abia 2021; NSCDC team winning 1-Gold, 1-Silver and 1-Bronze in the Table Tennis National Open Championship in Lagos, 2021; Team NSCDC winning 2-Silver from the CBN Tennis Championship, Abuja, 2021; 1-Gold in Bitch Volleyball Competition, Abuja, 2021; the revamping of the NSCDC Football Team drawn from various Commands through a screening exercise after which the best were selected and tested in several friendly matches; the NSCDC Table Tennis Team winning 1-Gold and 2-Bronze at the 2021 NTTF National Table Tennis Championship, Lagos, 2021; the NSCDC Golf Player SCA Kamalu Baku coming First in the Professionals Category in the Abia State Governor’s Golf Cup 2021; etc.
9. Anti-Vandalism Drive entailing remarkable achievements across the country against dangerous elements vandalizing and destroying critical assets and infrastructure; the arrest and prosecution of several pipeline vandals, electrical installations vandals, communication equipment and railways sleepers’ vandals. in Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa among others.
10. Agro-Rangers providing security to farmers on their farmlands and protecting Agro-Allied investments in Borno State; the training and deployment of more Agro-Rangers Personnel and creation of new Agro-Rangers Base Stations across the country.

Gentlemen of the Press, with these spate of achievements in eight months, which true Nigerian compatriot can stand in good conscience and claim that Dr. Ahmed Audi mni, is a failure as NSCDC Commandant-General. Since his assumption of office on March 1st 2021 we note with patriotic delight that Dr. Audi has been positively changing the narrative of the Corps from an otherwise moribund organization to a high-flying security outfit in the country through focused and qualitative leadership. He has been creating an enabling environment for an industrious and highly motivated workforce committed to quality service delivery, integrity and patriotism. His administration has been value-driven and targeted at the realization of the Corps pivotal role in the governance process. He has been working tirelessly for greater inclusiveness and cooperation within the nation’s security architecture. In fact, he has been repositioning the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as a first-class security establishment that is enviable and mutually prosperous for personnel, stakeholders and the future generations.

We are here today, in our numbers, as Civil Society Activists and Nigerian Citizen-Stakeholders to publicly declare our support for the good works of Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi as the incumbent Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. We are here today to send a strong warning signal to Dr. Audi’s would-be-detractors that enough is enough. Nigeria’s national security is off-limits for bad-politicking, shameless mud-slinging and callous character assassination.

Nigeria must Develop!

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