By Samuel Oyejola
In line with the mission of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to develop structures and training strategies that would contribute to enhancing national security the Russian government through the Ministry of Civil Defence of that country is to partner with the corps to provide capacity building for personnel.
This development would expose the officers and men of the corps especially personnel in Disaster Management to international best practices as obtainable in Russia.
The Russian ambassador to Nigeria, Nikolay Udovichenko, said this when he paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of NSCDC in Abuja.
He said that the Russian Federation was delighted to partner with the NSCDC, adding that his country would stop at nothing to enable the corps succeed in delivering on its mandate in Nigeria.
These assurances are coming at a time the Commandant General of the corps, Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, is harnessing all opportunities to move the NSCDC to higher level of professionalism in the protection of critical infrastructure and national assets, mitigate during disaster of both natural and man-made, regulate the activities of the Private Guard Companies in Nigeria.
Perhaps to justify the recognition the corps is getting in Nigeria and abroad, the Commandant General has set up a Special Task Force to tackle the perennial problem of fuel scarcity and long queues at the filling stations nationwide.
Worried by the lingering fuel scarcity in the country, , Muhammadu said the task force would also monitor loading of PMS at the depots and its distribution at the filling stations in line with the Corps mandate in protecting critical infrastructure and national assets against vandalism and acts of sabotage.
The task force which took off operation immediately was one of the outcomes of the meeting the CG had with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.
Commandant Mohammed Haruna, the team’s head, , who doubles as the head of Anti-vandal Unit at the headquarters, is to ensure effective discharge of the product across the country.
As a result of this move, observers noted that tankers have been loading accordingly and are escorted to their designated stations of discharge without diversion and hoarding. The operation of this task force has helped to reduce queues in filling stations across the country.
At the meeting with the minister, Muhammadu posited that the NSCDC has continued to carry out 24 hours surveillance on oil terminals where crude oil is being loaded and on the rigs where drilling operations take place.
He noted that the Corps has made significant progress, explaining that majority of the filling stations now have fuel to dispense to motorists.
”The Corps will not relent in bringing this ugly situation to an end. In tackling this scourge as requested by the NNPC, 200 personnel have been deployed for FCT as the seat of power, while 50 personnel each have been deployed to other states of the federation,” he said.
In another development, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno has commended the corps for its discharge of duty with utmost professionalism in the state. The governor commended the corps when he paid courtesy visit to the NSCDC recently.
He appealed to the CG to replace officers and men of the corps who lost their lives in the state during the onslaught of the Boko Haram insurgents. Kashim explained further, that the trauma suffered by his people has affected them psychologically, economically and in different aspects of their lives, maintaining that, a lot still needs to be done to rehabilitate people in the state.
Responding, the CG commended the governor for his people-oriented programme in Borno state and his effort at making life more meaningful for the people of the state once again.
Muhammadu explained that 5,000 NSCDC personnel have already been deployed to the North East for national assignment, adding that the deployment was delayed due to scarcity of funds.
“ At this time of need, you and your people are not alone, we are with you .The NSCDC is a dependable ally and their quota will definitely be filled when the time comes,’’ the CG said.