Agency partners France on training, equipment support

chika ebuzor

August 2, 2016 8:00 AM

According to the corps commandant, the partnership will help to enhance the performance of the Corps in discharging its mandate in disaster management.

NSCDC Officers

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) is partnering with France in training and equipment support for its personnel for effective service delivery.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Corps spokesperson, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, on Monday in Abuja.

The statement said that the Commandant-General of the corps, Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, made the declaration during a visit to his office by GERARD Le MER , the Interior Security Attache at the France Embassy.

He said it would also help to reposition the Private Guards Companies to assist the NSCDC and other Security Agencies on information gathering at the grassroots level.

Muhammadu also told the visitor that the corps was set to to bring back normalcy to the North-East by taking over the liberated areas and providing security at the IDPs camps, especially at the entry and exit points.

According to him, the move is made in order to make the people restore confidence and feel government presence in the area.

The commandant-general said that the corps, apart from involving in the protection of lives and property, is the leading agency in the protection of Critical Infrastructure and National Assets in Nigeria.

He also said that the Corps had recorded significant achievements in curbing acts of vandalism, bunkering and stemming the tide of illegal refineries since its establishment.

According to Muhammadu, the Corps as a critical stakeholder in disaster management, has already deployed 2,300 personnel to the North-East, while 2,700 shall be joining them soon.

According to him, all these security measures are being put in place to re-assure the victims of insurgency that peace has returned to their communities and that they are free to return home.

Responding, Le MER said the embassy was poised to collaborate with the Corps in the area of training and intelligence information sharing.

He said that as the Interior Security Attache at the embassy he was pleased with the role of the NSCDC in the protection of Critical Infrastructure.

According to him, the Corps needs to be supported with modern technologies for effective monitoring and operation.

chika ebuzor