CSO faults plan to merge NSCDC with Police

A Civil society organisation, Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to listen to calls to merge the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

CAIDOV stated that any attempt to go ahead with the planned merger of the two security agencies would amount to a crime against the land, adding that the plan would cause more harm than good if implemented.

Executive Director of the group, Comrade Gbenga Soloki, who spoke at a press conference in Lagos, recently, pointed out that the move to repeal the NSCDC enactment bill was detrimental to the well being of Nigerians, maintaining that the idea was barbaric and injurious.

He insisted that rather than thinking of the proposed merger or scrapping of the NSCDC, the Federal Government should increase its staff strength, manpower and funding so that the agency would continue to give its best to the nation.

“Merging Civil Defence with Police is a marriage of inconvenience that will do the country no good. Those calling for the scrapping or merger of the Civil Defence Corps should have a rethink.

“It requires a very high level of very resourceful and intellectual professionals to objectively narrate, appraise and condemn the apologists, who remain inconsistent, unpatriotic and unprofessional in their advocacy,” said Soloki.

He further insisted that any attempt to either scrap or merge the NSCDC with the NPF would be resisted by the group with every means humanly possible.

Soloki added: “Let me make it clear that the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence is not in any way associated with the NSCDC neither am I, as the head of the centre in any way, connected to the security enforcement agency.

“The Centre is however taking this cause upon itself because it abhors injustice, but a promoter of peace and progress of our country, Nigeria.

“As a result, we have taken time to reach out to other bodies of like mind over this issue and we are ready to ensure that the NSCDC does not lose its ‘sovereignty’ and identity because of the laudable and complimentary role it has been playing in ensuring the security of the country within the limits of its power.

“This is not the time for scrapping or attempting to scrap the NSCDC, especially now that we are daily being faced with all manners of security challenges.

“Nigeria is a country of over 200 million population with less than one million security personnel across board. With this statistic, how do you think we can conveniently fight insecurity in the land when we are under policed?

“From its humble beginning, the NSCDC has evolved into an indispensable force to reckon with, garnering critical acclaim for its courageous exploits.

“With billions of Naira being lost annually to oil vandals across Nigeria, the crucial role being played by NSCDC in curbing this hydra-headed monster, is being appreciated more than ever before.

“On this note, I call on the Federal Government not to merge the NSCDC with the Nigeria Police Force. Doing that will be a crime against the land and this action, if implemented, would cause more harm than good.”