Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is a paramilitary institution in Nigeria that was established in May 1967 by the Nigerian Government, with the act of the National Assembly.[1] The act was amended in 2007, to enhance the statutory duties of the corp.[2] Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps is a para-military agency of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is commissioned to provide measures against threat and any form of attack or disaster against the nation and its citizenry. The corps is statutorily empowered by lay Act No. 2 of 2003 and amended by Act 6 of 4 June 2007.

The Corps is empowered to institute legal proceedings by or in then and of the Attorney General of the Federation in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against any person or persons suspected to have committed an offence, maintain an armed squad in order to bear fire arms among others to strengthen the corps in the discharge of its statutory duties

The NSCDC was first introduced in May 1967 during the Nigerian Civil War within the then Federal Capital Territory of Lagos for the purpose of sensitization and protection of the civil populace. It was then known as Lagos Civil Defence Committee.

It later metamorphosed into the present day NSCDC in 1970. On inception, the Corps had the objective of carrying out some educational and enlightenment campaigns in and around the Federal Capital of Lagos to sensitize members of the civil populace on enemy attacks and how to save themselves from danger as most Nigerians living in and around Lagos territory then had little or no knowledge about war and its implications. Members of the Committee deemed it important to educate through electronic and print media on how to guide themselves during air raids, bomb attacks, identify bombs and how to dive into trenches during bomb blast.

In 1984, the Corps was transformed into a National security outfit and in 1988, there was a major re-structuring of the Corps that led to the establishment of Commands throughout the Federation, including Abuja, and the addition of special functions by the Federal Government. On 28 June 2003, an Act to give statutory backing to the NSCDC passed by the National Assembly was signed into law by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, the former president and Commander in chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Statutory duties

The primary function of the NSCDC is to protect lives and properties in conjunction with Nigeria police.[3] One of the crucial function of the corp is to protect pipelines from vandalism.[4] The agency also involves in crisis resolutions.[5] They protect the country. The current Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps is Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu.[6]

NSCDC

NSCDC

  1. "Minister Writes VP, NSA over IGP's Call to Scrap NSCDC, Articles - THISDAY LIVE". Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  2. "Why we deserve to be armed-NSCDC". Vanguard News. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  3. "Civil Defence wants synergy on counter-terrorism". Vanguard News. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  4. "New Telegraph – Police, NSCDC battle over oil pipelines". Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  5. "NSCDC Hosts Peace Dialogue in North-East". Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  6. "Current Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps". Retrieved 26 November 2020.
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