Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has read the riot act to men and officers of the Service who are allegedly conniving with crude oil thieves to sabotage the nation’s economy.
The CG, who spoke with Zonal Commanders, State Commandants and Heads of Anti Vandal Unit of the Corps across the country during a strategic meeting at the Corps’ National Headquarters, in Abuja, said any personnel caught will not be spared if investigated and found culpable.
Audi tasked all officers to check their excesses and inappropriate behaviours while warning that his administration will not condone any form of compromise or unethical conducts from personnel deployed to prevent oil theft and illegal bunkering.
The CG said discreet investigation would be conducted into the activities of the Anti-Vandal Squads across the States, saying those found culpable in criminal connivance will be severely dealt with.
He said “Some people believe that security agencies are part of oil theft in the country, but we must do what is necessary to redeem our image.
“There are indications that some of the Anti-Vandal Units in some State Commands have been found wanting, in the discharge of their duties as the Corps’ Management, has received reports of irresponsibility and connivance on the part of some of them.
“This dangerous and rather unfortunate development which the Management frowns at, is inimical to the image the Corps has built over the years.
“Let me state categorically that the Corps’ Management, will not condone any act that could impugn on the integrity of the Corps.
“The import of this meeting is therefore, to draw your attention to some of these observed lapses and shortcomings, in the operations of the Anti-vandal Squad and the need for a total reorganization and overhauling of the entire Anti-vandal Units across board, to reposition the Unit for better performance.
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“As heads of Anti-vandal Units, you are expected to display a high sense of responsibility, commitment, loyalty and dedication to duty.
“Let me sound this note of warning that the Corps has no space for mediocrity, laziness, nonchalance, incompetence and will therefore, not hesitate to appropriately deal with any officer found wanting in the discharge of his duties.
“You must therefore, go back to your various State Commands and redouble your efforts to re-invigorate, re-engineer and reposition your various Anti-vandal Squads for better performance, to justify the confidence reposed, in the Corps, by Government and the good people of this great Country.
“Members of the Anti-vandal Squad must re-dedicate themselves, to our collective goal and objective, to curb and checkmate crime and eradicate incidences of oil theft/oil bunkering and vandalization of oil pipelines and other Critical National Assets and Infrastructure ( CNAI ).”
Audi said he was worried by the spate of oil theft and illegal bunkering, which he said has led to huge revenue llos to the Federal Government in recent times despite stringent measures put in place to curtail it.
He explained that the strategic meeting was necessary to reverse the ugly trend. He, therefore, gave marching order to all concerned officials, of the Corps, to buckle up and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
According to him, “We are aware that as far as the nation is concerned, oil is the mainstay of the economy and the massive oil theft and illegal bunkering, in the country is alarming.
“It is in this direction that I have summoned all the high ranking officers of the Corps, to this meeting, for us to sit up and come up with ways of tackling this menace creating problems for us.”
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