From Olukayode Idowu
The Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Audi has said that the Corps is committed to eliminating quackery in the private security industry in order to sanitize the system for effective security service delivery.
This he said would enable government mitigate the security challenges bedevilling the nation.
Audi stated this on Thursday while presenting operational licence to 24 Private Guard Companies that were successful after undergoing thorough screening to ascertain the eligibility of their applications as operators in the sector.
Audi charged them to see the licence as an opportunity to help nip crime in the bud by being proactive and collaborating with security agencies to provide actionable and accurate intelligence needed to deal with prevailing security challenges in the country.
He said: “As stakeholders in the protection of lives and property, let us join hands to safeguard our future and that of the generations yet unborn and to make our country better and safer because, a secured environment will no doubt engender socio/economic development of the country.”
He revealed that the Corps has concluded an arrangement to make available its training facilities for the Private Guards Companies to leverage on for training, capacity building and manpower development of their staff, while reiterating that NSCDC is putting in place necessary machinery to reposition and reform the private security sector in Nigeria in accordance with the enabling law and regulations.
The NSCDC boss, charged all operators to work within the ambit of the law governing their operation as not to incur the wrath of the Corps because violators would have their license seized, revoked or have their operational base sealed until the right procedure is followed.
While congratulating the newly licenced operators, Audi urged them to constantly interface with the heads of PGC of the Corps in their various base stations for proper guidance, training and regulations, as his administration is committed to run an open door system to create room for better collaboration and information sharing that could help curb the security challenges in the country and guarantee adequate peace and development of the nation.
He however warned the operators to shun any corrupt tendency and not succumb to any form of pressure or negative influence that may put the integrity of their companies in jeopardy.
On the issue of welfare of guards, Audi urged the operatives to make sure staff are paid their salaries and all entitlements as and when due to avoid any form of compromise, emphasising that if security providers are not well remunerated, there is serious tendency for such guard to be easily lured with money or any juicy offer by criminals.
Responding on behalf of the newly licenced operators, Ambassador Godwin Umoh, chairman/CEO of Pareto Smartwork Nig. Ltd, commended the NSCDC boss for the speedy and transparent process adopted in the screening exercise, noting that it a very credible way to ensure professionalism of the sector unlike before when it used to be an all comers affair. He added that there is need to incorporate technology to assist in the task of security management as human intelligence cannot be totally relied upon especially where manpower is grossly inadequate.
