Disquiet over rep’s bill seeking scrapping, merger of NSCDC with Police

A bill introduced in the House of Representatives seeking the scrapping of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to be merged with the Nigeria Police Force has been raising dust, Daily Trust reports.  

The lawmaker representing lseyin/ltesiwaju/Kajola/lwajowa Federal Constituency in Oyo State at the House of Representatives, Shina Peller, has proposed scrapping of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. 

Peller in his bill proposed that the Nigeria Police Force should take over the responsibilities of the NSCDC. 

The lawmaker made the proposal to the House via the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (Repeal and Transition) Bill 2022, which passed first reading on Tuesday.  

The bill seeks to repeal the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (Amendment) Act 2007, establish a transition management committee to superintend over the NSCDC, develop regulations and implement procedures for the transfer of assets and personnel of the corps to the Nigeria Police Force, and other related matters.  

In the bill, Peller noted that, “Fragmentation of security resources across multiple competing agencies is counterproductive.”  

The lawmakers also noted that the mandate of the NSCDC “has now become a duplication of the Nigeria Police Force,” adding that, “This has led to avoidable conflicts.” 

He said: “Every single function of the NSCDC can be done or is being done by the Nigeria Police Force,” while citing “waste of scarce resources,” stressing that the annual budget of the NSCDC is almost N100 billion.  

Daily Trust reports that the NSCDC is a paramilitary agency of the federal government 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 Act No. 2 of 2003 and amended by Act 6 of June 4th, 2007. 

NSCDC has three core mandates, which include provision of constant and effective protection of national assets; interfacing with private security guards for local safety and intervening in the management of natural and man-made disasters. 

However, the proposed bill seeking the scrapping of the body and merger with the police has been raising dust among Nigerians, especially the youth, who have accused its sponsor of trying to block their chances of being gainfully employed through the outfit.  

 They argued that rather than scrapping the outfit and merging it with the police, the lawmaker should have sponsored a bill on how to reform and strengthen the paramilitary outfit to actualise its mandate.   

Scrapping, merger of NSCDC not an option – expert  

Speaking on the matter, a civil society expert, Austin Aigbe, said scrapping and merging the NSCDC with the police as being proposed was not the best option. 

He said the outfit should rather be strengthened and professionally equipped to be able to carry out its mandate.  

“Scrapping it is not an option; merging it with the police is not the option, but strengthening it to ensure it serves the purpose for which it was created.  

 “We are supposed to have a national guard like is obtainable in the USA. Can we see the NSCDC as our national guard which can come in to support the police and not the army coming to support the police?

“So they need to have more tactical experience almost close to that of the military.   

“Civil Defence Corps should serve as a defence mechanism not to be merely attached to politicians as they do now”, he said. 

He, however, said the NSCDC was already deviating from its core mandate, adding, that, “The NSCDC appears to be in conflict with the working of the police; they have their stipulated mandates but today, they are working like police; they are following politicians up and down; what are they doing in ministries opening doors for politicians?”  

Lending his voice, a former senator from Kaduna State, Shehu Sani, faulted the bill saying, “The bill in the House of Reps proposing the scrapping of NSCDC is unnecessary and retrogressive.  

“The Civil Defence Corps as a prime security agency has been playing a distinctive and complementary role in our security system. With due respect, that bill should be rejected.” 

 A security expert and former Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory, Lawrence Alobi, noted that the two agencies have their clear mandates as specified in the constitution. 

He said, ‘’The purpose of law is to serve the society and government is established to implement those laws. 

‘’Section 134 of the constitution said there can be only one police force; there shall be no other police force but the Civil Defence has been created to do police functions; there could be clashes. 

‘’Orosanye’s reports had made some recommendations some time ago. If the government feels that it is in the interest of society to scrap or retain it, the government knows best. 

“Each one has its own mandates. So, if it is what the government decides, nobody can say no.’’ 

 A Facebook user, Kale Baraje, while responding to the issue sarcastically said the bill seeking the scrapping and merger of the NSCDC with the police should also scrap the House of Representatives to be merged with the Senate. 

 A Twitter user, @Naija_PR said: “We are facing serious security challenges at this period and someone is sponsoring a bill for scrapping of NSCDC instead of scrapping the House of Representatives in order to cut costs.” 

Muazu Elazeh @muazuelazeh said: “Our lawmakers should perish the thought. Call for scrapping of NSCDC is not in good faith.” 

 On his part, Saka Olokungboye @olokungboyesaka said: “I cannot still find a word to advance any reason why Hon Shina Peller calls for scrapping of NSCDC despite the fact that the police are grossly understaffed which necessitated agitation for establishment of state police.” 

Drama as NSCDC withdraws, reinstates personnel from lawmaker 

In what appears to be a tit for tat, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Oyo State Command, ordered the withdrawal of all its personnel attached to Rep Peller hours after his bill passed first reading at the House.  

The withdrawal was made known in a circular released and signed Wednesday by the HOD Administration of the Oyo State Command of the agency, DCC Sotiyo Igbalawole, on behalf of the state commandant.   

Sotiyo, in the circular, however, said the personnel were withdrawn for an ‘urgent national security assignment’.  

The development came hours after Peller presented a bill to scrap NSCDC, proposing the police take over the responsibilities of the NSCDC.  But in another twist, the NSCDC Commandant General issued a statement on Thursday ordering the reinstatement of the personnel withdrawn from the lawmaker, saying the officers at the Oyo Command took the action without recourse to the constituted authorities. 

The NSCDC Director of Public Relations at the National Headquarters, Abuja, DCC Odumosu Olusola, said: “The leadership of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has dismissed as unauthorised and without recourse to the Corps constituted authority, a letter signed and sent to a Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Shina Peller, informing him of the withdrawal of officials of the NSCDC assigned to him. 

“Not only did the officer in question lack the power to do such; he was also found to have acted on his whims without clearance. The Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, has therefore directed a reinstatement of the withdrawn officers with a compliment of necessary courtesies to the Honourable Member”, the statement said.  

Proposed NSCDC Bill misconstrued – Sponsor  

But following the backlash trailing the bill, the sponsor has come out to say that the bill was misconstrued and misrepresented by Nigerians. 

In a statement, the lawmaker said contrary to what people were made to believe, the bill seeks to absorb the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) into the Nigerian Police Force and set a transitional framework to achieve an important objective. 

He said: “I shall weigh in and make certain clarifications about the proposed bill.  

“On Tuesday, February 1st, 2022, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (Repeal and Enactment) Bill that I sponsored was read for the first time in the House of Representatives.  

“Expectedly, while some understand and align themselves with the points raised in the bill, some either unknowingly missed the points or deliberately misconstrued the content for reasons best known to them. 

“Contrary to what is being falsely spread by some people, the bill is not about scrapping NSCDC but merging the agency with the Nigeria Police Force to achieve better results in policing. 

“The bill does not in any way seek to render people jobless; rather, the bill proposes the transfer of assets and personnel of the NSCDC to the Nigeria Police.  

“In other words, assets and personnel will be absorbed by the police so there won’t be loss of jobs. 

“The creation of the Corps was supposed to free officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to focus on their core policing operations of protecting lives and ensuring the security of property.  

“Since then, the nature of the NSCDC has changed. Rather than exist as, and perform the role of an ancillary force, the NSCDC now includes an armed component and performs policing functions across the country. Predictably, this overlap of functions and jurisdictions has led to increasing conflicts between the NSCDC and the Nigerian Police. 

 “Nigeria is faced with an unprecedented wave of different but overlapping security crises, therefore, the government and legislature must be aggressively innovative in considering better options for more effective national security architecture.   

“This proposed bill should serve as a trigger to constructive debates and conversations that end with substantive reforms in the best interest of the nation.”  (Daily Trust)