The Commandant General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has urged personnel of the Corps to refrain from any form of reprisal attack following Monday’s invasion of the Command in Owerri, Imo State.
This was contained in a statement signed Tuesday, 26 April, by the Corps’ Director of Public Relations, DCC Olusola Odumosu, in Abuja.
TheFact Nigeria had, yesterday, 26 April, reported an invasion of the Corps’ Headquarters in Owerri, by armed policemen who opened fire on the headquarters. The action followed the arrest and detention of a police officer, on the order of the Corps’ State Commandant for allegedly breaking up his convoy. Two persons were reported to have been killed and others injured during the incident.
The NSCDC Chief reiterated the commitment of the Corps to synergy and collaboration with other security agencies despite the ugly incident, and maintained that security is a collective responsibility. As such, every agency of government empowered by law to protect lives and property of Nigerians must work together and see themselves as partners in progress.
He noted that two wrongs cannot make a right and there are more progressive channels to resolve issues amicably without necessarily resorting to violent attacks on each other’s personnel or facilities. He therefore sued for peace and directed personnel of the Corps of the Imo State Command to remain calm and not take laws into their own hands.
While describing the invasion of its Command headquarters in Imo state as avoidable and unnecessary in the face of synergy and collaboration that is needed to combat the various security challenges in the country, Dr. Audi urged all NSCDC personnel to maintain a high level of civility and decorum by avoiding any form of confrontation with other security and law enforcement personnel while going about their lawful duties.
The CG, addressing personnel on the matter, maintained that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps is committed to peaceful coexistence among security agencies and remained undaunted despite all that transpired.
“Our mandate of securing lives and protecting Critical National Assets and Infrastructure is very sacrosanct in ridding the nation of criminal elements and economic saboteurs, therefore, I urge you to remain focused, resolute and continue to maintain harmonious relationship with your professional colleagues on the field at all time, even in the face of harassment and intimidation”, the CG said
As the lead agency in safeguarding all Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, Dr Audi directed all officers and men of the Corps to carry out the Presidential order of clamping down on economic saboteurs, petroleum pipeline vandals and illegal bunkerers across the nation, reiterating the need to abide by the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Code of Ethics of the NSCDC.
“We are committed to synergy and collaboration with other agencies despite what has happened. I therefore, urge all my officers to remain calm and avoid any form of reprisal attack by allowing the leadership of both agencies to resolve the matter amicably. We are also seeking the support of members of the public in the fight against insecurity affecting our dear nation through timely release of intelligence information that could lead to arrest of all criminal elements disturbing the peace of the country”, he said.
