Razaq Bamidele
A group of human rights organizations, Coalition of Civil Society Networks in Nigeria and the Diaspora has written a strongly worded petition to President Muhammadu Buhari demanding for a complete reform of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), saying the petition was in line with the Coalition’s social responsibility of promoting accountability, transparency and good governance.
The petition, dated October 28, 2021, and signed by its leader, Sakari Hashimu, was rooted to Mr President through the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
Reading the petition at a press briefing during one of the Coalition’s peaceful protests at the National Assembly, Abuja, Hashimu insisted that immediate reform of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), is imperative to conform with the global best practices and standard, lamenting that the form it is now falls below the universal standard.
Hashimu recalled that on the 5th of October, 2021, “we took a similar peaceful protest to the Headquarters of the NSCDC demanding for the immediate sack of the Corps’ Commandant General and proper reforms in NSCDC under his stewardship,” adding that, “today, we are here at the National Assembly Abuja to present before distinguish and honourable members of the National Assembly, the need to scrap and reform the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps!”
The Coalition leader stated the reason for his group’s demands as follows;
“Worried by the current insecurity in the country, the federal Government should commence moves at amending the Act setting up the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), because there has been an enormous public dissatisfaction on the Conflicting roles of the Nigerian Police and the NSCDC and also the misplacement of mandate and job racketeering going on in the NSCDC. This outcry by citizens demands attention and immediate actions for reforms and amendment into the acts establishing NSCDC.”
“Nigeria has witnessed two economic recessions and increased rate of insecurity within the period of this administration despite the huge amount of financial support to security agencies. This is not fair to the president who has been making great efforts along with the entire citizenry. This economic situation calls for the Government to merge the NSCDC with the Nigerian Police Force so as to reduce the excessive cost of governance and improve the shortage man power of the Nigerian Police whose mandates are clearly defined and accessible to citizens unlike that of the NSCDC.”
The act, if amended and reformed, the Coalition boss said, “would review the current security situation in the country, examine the level of risk to critical assets and infrastructure, and find ways of working together to safeguarding them.”
Against this backdrop, the National Security Adviser (NSA), according to the petition, should, as a matter of urgent actions summit necessary recommendations and advice to Mr President appropriately on the outcry by Nigerians to scrap and reform the NSCDC and join them with the Nigerian Police Force.
“How can a security organization like the NSCDC publicly display arms purchased to fight insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other social related crimes,” it queried, declaring that, “this action clearly shows that the NSCDC is incapacitated and lacks professionalism to fight crimes!”
The petitioners equally used the opportunity of the protest to call the attention of the Chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari not to make himself or office available to people boasting in public domain that they own the Chief of Staff to Mr. President; hence they can do and undo, assuring all and sundry that the country is bigger than an individual and that Nigeria belongs to everybody and belongs to nobody as well.
On the alleged job racketeering, the Coalition therefore demanded for proper investigation on recruitments processes in NSCDC, expressing suspicion that, “in the recent times in most Ministries, Departments and Agencies, money is now used in getting appointment letters!”
The petition read further, the allegation “is public outcries by many Nigerian youth who sell hard earn family and private properties to seek employment in the NSCDC and other government agencies with no assurances of offering them job!”
Some agencies, the Coalition alleged, go as far as issuing fake appointment letters to unsuspecting Nigerians signed by the number one authority in the agency, regretting that, “it is no longer news here in the public domain that the NSCDC is at the fore front of the agencies that practise such with impunity!”
However, the group thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his relentless pursuit and support for security agencies, expressing the delights that, “this has however demonstrated the President’s willingness and commitment in addressing rising security challenges confronting us as a nation and we would continue to rally necessary support for president Muhammadu Buhari to make him succeed.
The petitioners reasoned that, “with the recent economic instability, the Federal Government can no longer continue to fund the NSCDC which has failed to leave up to its responsibility rather than providing guards to VIPs and elite while their primary responsibility suffers setback and abused on a daily basis.
While saying that, it is no longer adviceable for Government to continue to fund a security organization which Internally Generated Revenues (IGR), via the above mentioned runs into billions of naira and yet don’t remit to Government coffers, the group, considered such a huge waste of resource and tax payers’ money while the Nigerian police suffer setback from lack of enough resources in carrying out their mandates.”
In conclusion, the Coalition thereby passed a vote of confidence in the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Police Force and the Inspector General of Police for their gallantry efforts in promoting dialogue, peace and stability, appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to double more resources and manpower for the Nigerian Police Force.
“We equally pass similar va ote of confidence in other sister security agencies like the Department of State Security Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Army for intelligence and prompt operations.”
The group also vowed to take similar solidarity protest to the Ministry of Interior “to register our position and we shall continue to work under this platform of Coalition of Civil Society Network to ensure that Nigeria succeeds in her quest to restore the confidence the system has lost in the Nigerian Youths.”S
