To enhance public safety ahead of the festive season, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has ordered the deployment of over 55,000 operatives nationwide.

Commandant General of the Corps, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, who ordered the deployment, said the aim is to protect critical national assets and infrastructure and to ensure the safety and security of citizens during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Prof. Audi emphasised the necessity of this deployment, saying, “Criminal-minded persons utilise festive periods to carry out their sinister and unscrupulous activities.”

In a statement by the agency’s National Spokesman, Afolabi Babawale, Audi said that security threats such as banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes, terrorism, and insurgency can be effectively addressed through credible and sustained intelligence from the public.

He directed all Zonal Commanders to oversee the Commands under their purview, while State Commandants are tasked with coordinating the Area Commands, Divisional offices, and other formations.

He added that the deployment will feature both covert and overt operations, ensuring a robust mobilisation of personnel to maximise human security.

“It is imperative for members of the public to trust and collaborate with us by providing credible and timely information.
“This enables us to act swiftly to prevent crime rather than be reactive,” Prof Audi noted.

He further expressed the NSCDC’s commitment to creating a safe environment, emphasising that this is achievable through public support.

“We assure you of our readiness to work in synergy with sister security agencies to ensure safety and peace for development to thrive,” he added.

In other news, the Ogun State Police Command has launched joint security operations with other agencies to intensify security across the state during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Personnel deployed for the operation include officers of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Amotekun Corps, Ogun State Community Social Orientation and Security Corps (So-Safe), Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), among others.

Confirming the development in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the operation was aimed at strengthening patrols and improving security across major highways and strategic locations in the state.

According to him, significant deployments have been made along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, the Sagamu–Ijebu-Ode Road, and other critical routes to ensure the safety of lives and property, as well as the free movement of people and goods before, during, and after the yuletide period.