The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has urged the National Assembly to grant it full constitutional recognition by including it in the constitution in line with its mandate to protect lives, property, and critical national infrastructure.
The Commandant-General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, made this appeal during the South-South Zonal B Public Hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Review in Calabar on Saturday.
Audi, represented by Assistant Commandant General Ayinla Taiye Olowo, urged lawmakers to include a section in the Constitution that clearly defines the statutory functions of the corps.
He highlighted areas to include, such as safeguarding critical infrastructure, regulating private security, promoting public security education, conflict resolution, protecting agro-allied investments, and other assignments as directed by the president or legislature.
He noted that constitutional recognition would resolve the ongoing calls for the NSCDC’s merger and would improve its effectiveness.
The Commandant General, who traced the origin and establishment of the NSCDC to the Nigerian Civil War, highlighted the NSCDC’s evolution from a voluntary civil defence group into a full-fledged federal security outfit through the 2003 NSCDC Act.
He stated that the NSCDC is further burdened with responsibilities assigned through national security policies, including the 2019 National Security Strategy and the 2024 National Protection Policy for Critical National Assets and Infrastructure.
He appreciated the 2007 decision of the National Assembly that empowered the corps to bear arms, along with the Nigerian Army’s subsequent support in providing training and equipment. Today, the corps has a workforce of about 70,000 personnel.
However, the NSCDC boss criticised misinterpretations of Section 214 of the Constitution, which states that there should be a single police force, claiming it has caused inter-agency rivalry and harassment of NSCDC personnel by the police.
He also said that appointing a retired police officer as Acting Commandant of the corps at its inception to mentor the personnel contributed to misunderstandings about the NSCDC’s role.
He said, “This led to unintended consequences of vigorous and repeated attempts of integration instead of collaboration, as the expected mentees are subsequently being treated as competitors.
It is no longer news that NSCDC personnel are repeatedly harassed, brutalised, arrested, detained and even killed for doing what is always referred to as constitutionally guaranteed exclusive police jobs.
“Sometimes, NSCDC personnel and their commanders were ordered to produce the Act that empowers them to carry out security and safety assignments.
“Even as brothers and sisters that share the same goal of protecting lives and property, things always change when it comes to the issue of the constitution.”
