The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has called for tougher penalties for anyone found guilty of vandalising any Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI).

NSCDC FCT Commandant, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, made the call on Monday in Abuja.

Dr. Odumosu noted that the punishment meted out to CNAI offenders in courts is too lenient compared to the degree of damage they cause to the lives of Nigerians and to national development.

He urged the Federal Government and the judiciary to impose stricter penalties on individuals who vandalise CNAI, as the current punishments and fines, ranging from ₦2,000 to ₦5,000 or community service, are too insignificant to deter offenders.

The commandant pointed out that the leniency of punishment contributes to a high rate of repeat offences and blatant disregard for laws.

He said, “The punishment meted out to suspected vandals arraigned in court is too minimal. Most of them, by the time we take them to court, only get very minimal penalties such as fines.

“Fines can be as low as 2,000 to 5,000 naira or community service. We arrest vandals, but we keep seeing them back on the road vandalising government infrastructure over and over again. This is a cause for concern for us.”

The commandant appealed to relevant authorities to adopt measures that would instil a sense of fear among potential vandals.

“We have been doing our part, but we don’t have control over the prosecution process, such as hearing dates, adjournments, and eventual convictions,” he explained.

Odumosu further noted in a communique by his spokesperson, Monica Ojobi, that while the NSCDC’s legal team strives to transfer suspects to court promptly, delays in the judiciary hinder timely prosecution.

“There are times when cases are adjourned, and other times we find it difficult to even get a date for a hearing,” he said, emphasizing the challenges faced by the Corps.

He also mentioned that the Corps operates within a legal framework that requires timely action; therefore, “We cannot keep a suspect beyond a certain number of hours, which is 48 hours.

“We always move swiftly into action by conducting immediate investigations before taking matters to court.”

Dr. Odumosu adds that implementing stricter and timely punishments for vandals would raise the morale of NSCDC personnel, insisting that “Stiffer penalties will further encourage my officers and men, who are patrolling and surveying every nook and cranny of the FCT to make more arrests, knowing that their efforts will not go down the drain.”