By Valentine Amanze
The Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, has appealed to the state governments to register their private security organisations with the Corps.
The appeal followed the willingness of the state governors to float security outfits to tackle the rising insecurity in the nation.
Muhammadu gave the advice while chatting the way for effective security architecture to battle insecurity.
He however disclosed that the Niger State has set the pace by registering the state’s security outfit with the NSCDC, which is the only agency empowered by law and charged with the statutory responsibility of registering, monitoring, supervising and licencing of private security outflt in the country.
“To that effect, licence to operate has been issued to Niger State, while Taraba State has also been registered and awaits the signing of their licence by the Honourable Minister, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,” he said.
He also disclosed that the National body of Vigilantes had been fully registered with the Corps and database of all its operators had been captured, explaining, “This is in line with the provision of Section 10 of the Private Guard Companies Act 1986, which requires data capturing for every Private Guard Company and vigilantes and its members operating in Nigeria. The measure is aimed at crime control, professionalism and weeding off non- Nigerians in the industry.”
Muhammadu however warned against Illegal operative of Private Security Services and emphasized that the operation of every private security outfit must be guarded by the Private Guard Company Act (CAP. 1990), and the guidelines as enshrined in the NSCDC Act. 2003 as amended in 2007.
He therefore warned that any secunty outfit established contrary to the existing Act shall face the wrath of the law.
He pointed out that the nation could be saved if jointly the rules of the game in securing the state and the nation was carried out within the law.
He further enjoined all prospective security operatives to be law-abiding.
