Nscdc Stems The Tide Of Vandalism

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Dr. Ade Abolurin disclosed the annual scorecard during the stakeholder’s meeting with the investors in power transmission and distribution companies (GENCOS and DISCOs).

This revelation was made when the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Power Godknows Igali said, the Nation is unable to generate enough gas for power supply due to the vandalism of Gas Pipelines at Escravos and Forcados.

However, he said the NSCDC and the Joint Task Force (JTF) arrested over 200 vandals at different locations with 27 vandals successfully prosecuted and convicted by the NSCDC in 2014 and 20 vandals prosecuted and convicted within four months of 2015, signifying a reduction in the activities of vandals due to the drive by security forces, especially the NSCDC, in tackling the illicit act.

Notably, the Commandant General of the Corps reiterated that the activities and drive by the Corps to tackle vandalism will not be complete without the support and cooperation of the GENCOs and DISCOs, therefore they all have roles to play in this crusade, just as the Federal Government is not resting in creating an enabling environment for all and sundry.

In his message to the zonal commanders, state commandants and all heads of anti-vandal squads in the Corps he urged them to work with all stakeholders in ensuring successful execution of the Corps mandate in the area of protection of critical infrastructure and national assets.

The directive was as a result of the outcome of the meeting with GENCOs and DISCOs in further charting the way forward in ensuring sustainable and uninterrupted power supply by curbing vandalism and deliberate acts of sabotage.

Similarly, he urged those protesting in some states over their expectations of a better power supply to be patient and cautions in their actions. Instead of disrupting activities of the investors, their grievances should be channeled in a more mature way without creating  a public disturbance, as efforts have been put in place to ensure continuous power supply, says Abolurin.

The Corps Chief Executive urged the zonal and state commands to fortify the security architecture of their respective states by collaborating with other sister agencies to ensure a very conducive security atmosphere for the upcoming transition and inauguration programme.

He tasked them to deploy adequate personnel, sniffer dogs, and surveillance vehicles among others to all critical infrastructures of government by not allowing hoodlums to take advantage of the present situation, thereby charging them to clamp down on illegal activities of vandals and black marketers that encourage fuel scarcity, hoarding, oil theft, and adulteration of the product such as the hawkers arrested in Lagos by a joint team of IPMAN and NSCDC personnel.

He encouraged the officers to work hand in hand with licensed marketers to discourage fuel dispensers from selling products to black marketers who then fence the product in kegs by the roadside, and make fuel exorbitant thereby depriving motorists of genuine access to filling stations.

Finally Abolurin cautioned the public that they should be careful with the fuel hawkers whose influx into the city constitutes a security risk and some, under the guise of hawking, could take undue advantage to ferment trouble and commit crimes.

CSC Okeh, Emmanuel O.
CDPRO