NSCDC arrests 10 vandals, decorates 161 promoted officers

Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), yesterday, said it arrested 10 pipeline vandals from January till date, with some suspects already being prosecuted in courts, while others are awaiting investigations.

The state’s Commandant, Usman Ishaq Alfadarai, disclosed this, yesterday, during the decoration of 161 officers at the State Command Headquarters, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

He stressed that the Corps is working with other sister security agencies in line with the President’s mandate to monitor and ensure safety of pipelines in Lagos.

Alfadarai said the Command is synergising with other security agencies like the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army around Atlas Cove area to monitor the pipeline that runs from Mosimi, which is more prone to vandalism.

“We are working with the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Airforce in patrolling that particular pipeline. We have our men monitoring those pipelines on a 24/7 basis.

“So, far all attempts by vandals to sabotage those places have been thwarted and we recently arrested suspects and intensified patrol there, which is why it is difficult for those vandals to tamper with the pipeline.

“I have visited the 9 Brigade and solicited for their collaboration to ensure that we have effective security to all those critical assets along that oil corridor,” he added.

On school safety, the Commandant said the Corps had put in place structures to ensure the establishment of a rapid response squad for prompt response from the schools.

He said the Corps has set up a special female squad as well as five units of armed force personnel, who are deployed to the various schools within Lagos Command to ensure prompt response as well as a coordination centre at the state level to monitor the situation.

Alfadarai expressed happiness with the promotion of the 161 officers and advised them not to see promotion as an advantage to intimidate their colleagues or a reason to fall out of the professional ethics and practice of the service.

The Guardian gathered that a total 161 officers were promoted, varying from three Assistant Commandants, who became Deputy Commandant of Corps, 14 Chief Superintendents of Corps, who were promoted to Assistant Commandants, 24 Superintendents of Corps to Chief Superintendents of Corps, 21 Deputy Superintendents of Corps to Superintendents of Corps, 21 Assistant Superintendents of Corps I to Deputy Superintendents of Corps and 38 Assistant Superintendents of Corps II to Assistant Superintendents of Corps and 48 Inspectors of Corps to Assistant Superintendents of Corps II.

Speaking of her promotion, Deputy Commandant of Corps (DCC), Gertrude Adie, expressed gratitude to God for the gesture and pledged to work for the success of the Command.Another beneficiary, DCC Jacob Solomon, who said he was not expecting it after years of denial, said the promotion was a call for more service.