The Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence, CAIDOV, on Tuesday, urged the Federal Government not to yield to pressure from certain quarters advocating for the scrap or merger of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, with the Nigerian Police Force.
Speaking during a press conference at the International Press Centre in Lagos, Executive Secretary of CAIDOV, Mr Gbenga Soloki, said that, instead of talking about mergers or scrapping, the government should increase funding, manpower, equipment and offices.
Soloki said: “This is not the time for scrapping or attempting to scrap the NSCDC, most especially now that, we are daily being faced with all manners of security challenges. Nigeria is a country of over 200 million populations with less than one million security personnel’s across board.
“With this statistic, how do you think we can conveniently fight insecurity in the land. 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 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. For your information, Nigeria is not the only country in the world that has civil defence, many countries around the world have Civil Defence Organisations dedicated to protecting civilians from Military attack and providing rescue services after widespread disasters.
“The Centre is, however, taking this cause upon itself because it abhors injustice, but a promoter of peace and progress of Nigeria.
“And as a result, we have taken time to reach out to other bodies of like minds 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.
