My names are Bartholomew Obioma Ezeigbo. I am of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC). I represent the corps as an Assistant Commander General (ACG) by rank. I am the zonal commander for zone B headquarters based in Kaduna State. Zone B comprises Kaduna, Katsina, Kano and Jigawa State commands of the corps.

I have been variously trained and have also held several professional offices. For instance, I was once a chairman of the Port Harcourt branch of the Nigerian Institute of Safety Professionals and I served for two consecutive terms. I am glad that the institute has continued to grow from strength to strength.

Office of the ACG

My office as ACG entails supervision and to ensure that what is done is in line with the policy and vision of the leader, who is our Commander General, Dr. Ade Abolori, who is in Abuja. I ensure that the policies of the organization are implemented. This is basically what I do.

Mission

Our duty also involves ensuring that security is provided for our populace and for our infrastructure. This is the common mission of every security organization. On the other hand, our vision is that in whatever we do, we bring human face to it. We serve our people with increased humility. We also try to bring some sense and new ideas in our delivery of security. I would say that the Civil Defense Corps functions with an increased and enhanced humility.

Duplication of security role

There is nothing like duplication of security role. Truth is that we do really need more security organizations in this country. Security is an area everyone can be a part of. We are all involved. A slogan goes, 'see something and say something'. So when you see something and actually say something, in your own small way, you have contributed to security.

So, there is no clash in responsibility at all. The various security organs have their areas of specialty. We are not doing the same thing, but there is always a meeting point. One fact however remains that there is no buffer zone where we can say the police duty stops here, the civil defence ends there and so on.

There is no such zone because we are all working for a common goal. For instance, I have my statutory responsibility but I cannot be walking on the road and see people fighting without coming in to know what happened. I cannot allow the one guilty to commit that crime and go free. It's a synergy, team and collaborative mission.

Like I have said, there are core responsibilities for each organization, though with little overlap. We work for the same objective. There are no clashes.

Our core responsibilities

Before now and even now, our country is a core oil economy, having about 95 percent of our revenue from oil. One thing we do not know is that vandalizing of pipelines and facilities go on daily and that has grounded most of our operations in organs like the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), to mention just two.

Anything that has to do with vandalism goes with heavy negative impact on our economy or the Nigerian people. A body is assigned with the responsibility of checking vandals and their activities around our installations. That responsibility fell on the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps. That is our statutory mandate - to reduce vandalizing of facilities to the barest minimum.

Another duty has to do with security companies. Before now, the corps was answerable to the federal ministry of internal affairs, now the ministry of the interior is responsible for us. The corps is still being supervised by the ministry of the interior with the responsibility of recommending to the honourable minister of would-be private security companies.

We now supervise those who have registered before now, monitor their activities, to the effect that we report on their activities and review their activities, which we in turn report to the honourable minister. Those who want to come in as private security outfits bring their applications for us to vet.

When they want to recruit, we also ensure that only credible Nigerians are recruited. We will be endangering our network if at that level of those who are opening and closing our gates (gatemen), our lives are insecure. The idea is to ensure that those involved in grassroots security form the gateway of our national security. If we get it right from that level, definitely, we will get it right to the top.

There are situations whereby criminals go to serve as guards for the security of life and property in this country. We therefore supervise, screen, approve and hand them over to the security outfits, which will employ their services as private security guards. We also review and renew their license and supervise their activities.

Before now, less than 10 percent of them belonged to a body and by so doing, we are generating revenue for government.

We are dealing with the private companies, telling them the guidelines which they use in recruiting their personnel.

Challenges

Sure, there are challenges being a new organization. We are just a new baby that wants to do so many things at a time to meet up. Government is trying on its own to assist us and we know that Rome was not built in a day. In as much as it is not yet uhuru, we are making progress.

Vandalization of pipelines

We have, to a very reasonable extent, reduced vandalism of this sort. About nine months ago, my Commander General (CG) actually went out on his own to Abeokuta in Western Nigeria and several illegal tankers were arrested. Stories of arrested tankers abound. Most of the culprits apprehended were taken to court.

We try as much as possible not to compromise our job for any price. Most of those who have tried us have stories of having to hit brick wall to tell. That is the instrument that has been working for us so far.

We have also always invited God in all we do and He has always been faithful. We are really making tremendous progress in that area. Virtually, all of them are getting registered and we are generating some funds from that for government.

Categories of people are involved in vandalism. There are those involved by commission and some others by omission. But again, there are lapses here and there. For instance, some people have to stand their ground because a lot of people are involved.

There are available outlets for the vandals to sell their products, hence the act has persisted. So, assuming you go to vandalize and you find out that there is no one to buy the product from you, you will be suffocated, but it is not like that.

It is a network of crooked persons because the buyer knows where to get the same product legitimately, but prefers the illegitimate deal because it favours him better. By the time you go and buy petroleum product in a gallon on the road, you are also promoting vandalism because you know that is not a proper source.

Advice

We have to increase our safety awareness, especially in the area of what would happen should the gallon of petrol you keep at home explode or the house catches fire. Most of the fuel you see sold in cans by the wayside end up in homes posing hazard to life, property and the environment.

What I am asking from Nigerians is to have the ability and courage to say no. Only a very few Nigerians have the courage to say no to corruption and criminal activities, insisting on doing it right. At the same time, let us copy rightly.

There is a popular saying in the United States of America (USA), which says, 'see something say something'. In Nigeria, we see something but say nothing. Let Nigerians arise to the challenge of see something, say something and increase our ability to say no.

About the corps

Most people see the Civil Defence organization as new, but we have been there for a while. Before the war and during the war, we have been there, but we have been battling for a legal framework over the years and government, in its wisdom, saw that the services of this body is real and relevant and so saw the need for a legal framework.

By the wisdom of the hollowed chamber of the National Assembly (NASS), the bill was enacted into law in 2003 and amended in 2007. The body thenceforth became a statutory organization as a security organ of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

For me, this is my 17th year in the organization. I grew from the ranks to be where I am today. I have served several states in several capacities. I was also part of the team that established the corps in the South-South and South-East.

Most people see us and they think we came on board only yesterday. Like the Commander General, he also has come a long way in the corps.

Corruption

If the Nigerian security personnel are corrupt, it means that there is a fertile ground for those committing crime. We talk about a corrupt or polluted environment, if I may ask, who are those that constitute it? It means there is an enabling environment for corruption and who is in-charge of that environment? It is the public, the citizens of Nigeria.

The corrupt officer is on the other side of the coin and you are on the other side of the same coin because it takes two to tango. We should stop blaming our security agencies alone over corruption. If when they communicate bribe to you and you say no, they will stop asking for it.

Let us also sit back and ask ourselves some pertinent questions. This attitude of pointing fingers at our leadership whenever things go wrong is bad because we also have the problem of followership.

If you follow and do things aright, the man at the top will only corroborate and collaborate with us. Those in government will continue to practice corruption using us as stooges because we make ourselves available. When we learn not to be available for them to use anymore, they will also sit up.