NSCDC trainees cry out over alleged maltreatment

Some officers and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) currently undergoing arms training in Abuja have cried out over alleged ill-treatment by their handlers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 300 personnel drawn from the FCT Command of the corps are undergoing the training at the Civil Defence Academy, Sauka, Airport Road, Abuja.

NAN learnt that the three-week training programme, which began on Sunday, is for officers and men from the rank of Deputy Commandant (DC) downward.

Some of the trainees, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the buckets, toiletries and other necessities they took to camp were confiscated by the officials without explanation.

One of them said, “when we arrived at the camp, the officials seized our toiletries, including soap, disinfectants, detergents, tissue papers and buckets.

“We don’t know the reason why. They confiscated those things from us without giving them back to us for our own use.

“ They only gave us two buckets in a room of six to seven people. This is causing us serious personal hygiene and sanitation problems,’’ he said.

Another trainee alleged that they were being forced to buy the confiscated items from shops owned by the officials outside camp.

He said that all their complaints to their superiors had fallen on deaf ears as no explanation was forthcoming.

“We have complained but nobody is ready to answer us. In our own case there is a limit to which you can complain because everything is an order.

“When you complain too much they tag you as a rebel and then they court-martial you.

“One of our superiors told us his hands were tied and that we should comply with whatever they subject us to,’’ he said.

He said that they learnt from enquiry that previous trainees were not treated the same way.

NAN learnt that the allegedly seized items are not among prohibited items such as knives, hard drugs, electric irons, stoves, kettles, bombs, razors, among others.

When contacted, spokesman of the FCT Command of the NSCDC, Mr David Akinbinu, dismissed the allegations as fabrications by the complainants.

“It is not true. If a friend of yours gives you such information, as a mature person you should know it is false.

“I went to Sauka by myself this morning (Thursday) and I saw all of them. We are all mature men, and I am telling you that story is not true.

“They are going on holiday, and the management for safety reasons, asked them to keep the things in the store and collect them when they return.

“How did you expect them to be going out with their buckets and other things?

“What would the management be doing with their tissue papers? Is it the commandant that wants to bathe with their soap or take them to his family?

“People just peddle rumours unnecessarily because they have access to the press,’’ Akinbinu said.