By Kelechi Ogunleye
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has generated N587.92 million from Private Guard Companies (PGCs) and related activities in 2021.
The NSCDC Controller General, Ahmed Audi, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the World Civil Defence Day, celebrated on March 1 annually to create awareness on importance of civil protection and preparedness.
The theme of the 2022 celebration is “Civil Defence and Management of Displaced Population in Face of Disasters and Crisis; Role of Volunteers and the Fight Against Pandemics.
He said that the money generated was remitted to the coffers of the Federal Government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CG issued operational licenses to eight PGCs during the event.
Audi said that the licensed PGCs were meant to support regular government security agencies with intelligence to curtail the spate of insecurity in the country.
He also said that in less than a year, the PGC Department of the Corps had renewed 752 licences and sealed 81 erring companies.
“The Corps is presently carrying out the process of digitisation of the PGC Department for improved operational efficiency and productivity in the Private Security Industry.
“The Department is also coordinating biometric data capturing of all private guards, while pressing on operators to make staff welfare and training its priority,” he said.
The CG also pointed out that the dangerous trend by bandits to kidnap school children led to the establishment of the “Safe School Initiative”.
“The Corps did a vulnerability survey of schools in Nigeria and has prepared a framework of proactive security measures to be taken towards addressing the dangerous trend of attack on schools in the country.
“The survey identified 81,545 registered schools in Nigeria, about 44,297 of this number are Private Schools while 37,248 are Government Owned/Public School
“Out of this figure, 35,112 are located in urban areas while 47,115 are located in rural areas. Also identified in the survey are 22,398 schools with perimeter fencing and 58,967 without perimeter fence,” he sai
The NSCDC boss further revealed that only about 17,164 schools have a form of physical security presence with largely untrained personne
“About 62,271 schools have no form of security presence,” he adde
The CG commissioned 45 operational vehicles, including six ambulances and one Armoured Personnel Carrie
NAN reports that cheques worth millions of Naira were presented to families of deceased NSCDC officer
Awards were also presented to deserving officers and men of the Corps who excelled in different field
The Corps also launched it’s first newspaper, named “The Defender”.
(NAN)
