Leadership (Abuja)
Samuel Odaudu
19 March 2008
column
Abuja — The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was almost a laughing stock as some people tagged it "Jerry Useni's police" and Yanbanga. But the story has changed today as the Corps has become a nightmare to vandals across the country, writes SAMUEL ODAUDU.
If records are anything to go by, then the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence has assumed the role of a strategic economic umpire in the uphill task of safeguarding the nation's economy from the hands of economic vandals. Just within a short time of its establishment, the organisation has succeeded in recording quite impressive exploits.
When NSCDC was established by a legislative enactment in 2003, several Nigerians were quite skeptical about its specific usefulness, the identity of the Corps, not to talk about its roles among the several other security organisations in the country. The grudge, probably first came from other national security agencies which felt that the Corps was just another un-necessary proliferation of security organisations in the country coming to congest space and contest some of their constitutional responsibilities, arguing that there were no works or duties in the national security services that had not been handled by the other security organisations.
But there were also initial confusions arising from public misconception about the Corps, especially in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Residents of the FCT used to call the Corps "Jerry Useni's Police. In the far North for example, they (the corps) were referred to as Yabanga, a popular name for a local vigilante group. It would also be recalled that before its eventual transformation into a full security agency by an act of parliament in 2003, the organisation used to be a voluntary organisation where, just like the name implied, individuals joined the organisation to render voluntary and free security to the nation or their respective communities.
However, with the legal backing of the organisation by a legislative act, there is hardly any limit to the performance of the body; and from all indications, the body has relentlessly continued to justify its existence.
According to the 2007 amended Act of the NSCDC, the Corps' statutory responsibilities include, among others, to assist in the maintenance of peace and order and in the protection and rescuing of the civil population during the period of emergency; recommend to the minister, registration of private guards companies; supervise the activities of all the private guards companies, maintain twenty-four hour surveillance over infrastructures, sites and projects for the federal, state and local government; enter and search premises of any suspected dealer in petroleum products or material used by Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Postal Services, Nigeria Telecommunication or any other public utility or infrastructure; and the power to arrest with or without warrant, detain, investigate and institute legal proceedings by or in the name of the attorney-general of the Federation in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against any person who is reasonably suspected to have committed an offence in criminal activities, riot, civil disorder ,revolt, strike, or religious unrest, vandalisation of power transmission lines or pipelines, NIPOST cables, water board pipe lines, etc.
The Corps can also investigate act of terrorism, cult and ethnic militia activities, syndicate activities, evacuating the civilian population from dangerious areas, assist the Federal and State Fire Service in fire fighting operation, assist in the provision of emergency medical services, including first aid, during any period of emergency; carry out rescue operations and control volatile situations; provide and manage shelters for civilians during period of emergency, etc.
Among the above listed statutory functions, the Corps appeared to have performed more creditably in the area of its sustained war against vandalisation of public properties.
For example, between 2006 and 2007, the Corps made a harvest of arrest of vandals, some of who were caught right on the scene of crime, as well as numerous arrests of other related offences. According to the records available to INTERVAL, close to 200 numbers of vandals were arrested in 2007 alone.
Perhaps, the greatest exploits of the corps was the arrest of about 59 tankers of petroleum that were promptly intercepted in Rivers State around December last year.
Also, at a jetty at Atijere, a border village between Ondo and Ogun States, not less than 31 tankers were arrested. The brave but armless men and officers of the Corps, on a tip-off, invaded the spot where the criminals were carrying out their illegal activities of vandalisation. On getting there, the NSCDC men were surprised to discover that at an abandoned jetty, the vandals had already established what could be described as a mini NNPC deport. It used to be an abandoned government jetty but was later renovated by Igbokoda Local Government Area of Ondo State. And the next thing that happened quite took the security agents completely unaware.
The officers who were going on such a serious and sensitive operation were not armed and so, when they invaded the place, the vandals who were fully armed with sophisticated weapons opened fire on them (Corps). Realising the war-like situation, the anti-vandal squad tactically had to beat a fast retreat and quickly contacted the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Alamala, Abeokuta, under the command of Brigadier-General Etim Bassey which responded promptly by deploying a combat-ready soldiers to the hot spot where the vandals were subdued and arrested.
According to various reports from its command across the federation, the exploits of the men of the NSCDC have been anything but encouraging. For example, on August 12, 2007 and December 7, 2007, the Corps, in two operations arrested about 25 suspects, impounded about 21 vehicles and two motor cycles, 20 drums of 120liters of fuel, 28 jerry cans of 50 litres of fuel, Kodak instant camera, two multi-choice receiver, mattress, sharp model cassette, small table fan, electric kettle, magic blender, pumping machine, a lady's shoe, etc in Abia State alone.
In Bauchi State, the NSCDC men equally arrested some suspects while they were carrying out their usual act of vandalism. Luck ran out of the unsuspecting criminals as the men of the NSCDC swooped on them and discomfited them, arrested them and rightly handed them over to the appropriate authority. The items recovered from them included one vehicle and one motor cycle, 20 jerry cans of 50 litres of diesel, one empty drum and four empty buckets, two pcs 25 litres filled with fuel, four pcs50 litres of empty jerry cans, drums and other items. The story is not different in Adamawa and Delta States where 11 and 21 persons were arrested respectively and items such as diggers, pumping machines, drums, jerry cans and other items were recovered from suspects.
In fact, the case of the Delta State was quite huge. Not less than 21 persons were arrested with 14 vehicles, eight drums of crude oil, one engine speed boat. From Lagos, Kwara, Niger, Kogi, Kaduna, Ebonyi, the FCT, Benue, Bayelsa, Port Harcourt, Kano as well as several other states across the federation, the stories do not differ quite much.
In a recent statement from its Zone 5 national headquarters, Abuja, the authorities of the NSCDC stated that the federal government of Nigeria has lost the total sum of N106, 454, 300 between September 2007 and January 2008 to the activities of vandals in
Rivers State alone. And this, according to the report, is the "value of products impounded. Part of the statement read thus:"In the year2007 under review, the Corps in Rivers State, between September 2007 to date had arrested a total of 46 tankers, two trucks and one trailer impounded with eight vehicles of different makes. Also, 96 suspects were arrested and handed over to both the Police and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and prosecution while other items recovered were ten 14 inches insulated oil pipe, sixty plastic drums and 25 litres containers".
And that is why the issue of arming the Corps has generated a lot of interest as well as lot of controversies recently. Opinions are sharply divided between for and against. There were some views that the Corps should be merged with the Nigeria Police .
However, considering the crucial roles the Corps play in the country's economic recovery drive under the leadership of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, and the high risk involved in this effort, most Nigerians appear to be in support of arming and training the Corps so as to properly equip them for their jobs.
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I would like to say that all Goverment officails are crooks and disloyal to all the Nigerian people. This goes from the President on down to the lowliest person in office. I also know that Mrs. Waziri Farida is a crook herself and does not keep her promises. She says she will do something and then does not come through on her promises. She should not be the head of the EFCC. She is not qualified nor does she keep the promises she makes to people, she is a crook and keeps asking for more fees. You pay one fee and then here comes another fee. After that fee is paid then another fee is put upon you. She uses her office to scare people and threaten them and I think the people of Nigeria should know of this. I know by dealing with Mrs. Farida myself. She promised me after one fee was paid my contract would be paid off, Then another fee hit, she is cold hearted and you need to get a new government for a real Repbulic and democrocy. You do not need crooks to rule over you. How can you ever get your country into shape when from the highest person to the lowest in the government are crooks and stuff thier pockets full of money to life a rich life and leave the people of Nigeria to live in squaller. Revolt, Overcome and be a free nation and have people in office that will represent you and take care of you. Don't let them keep you down, but rise up and take command of your country and make it one to be proud of. As of now when you say Nigeria people think of scams and crooks. The government trys to say it is the ordinary person doing this, it is not. It is the very government that rules you that is corrupt!! Stand tall, Stand free and revolt for freedom's sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!