NSCDC boss urges officers to resist attacks on critical national assets in Abia
The Abia Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), says it will not relent in the discharge of the corps’ mandate, especially in protecting the critical national assets and infrastructure.
The state Commandant, Mr Ayinla Olowo, said this while addressing the corps operatives attached to the Anti-Vandalism Team at the command’s headquarters in Umuahia.
This is contained in a statement issued by the command’s Spokesman, SC Ndukwe Agu, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Sunday.
Olowo was quoted as saying that “every nation’s economy sits on her critical national assets and infrastructure of government at all levels, hence any attack on them is a direct attack on the economy, which we must vehemently resist.
“The protection of petroleum pipelines, telecommunications infrastructure, power installations and others remains our core mandate that must be vigorously carried out.”
The commandant, therefore, charged the team to remain focused and committed to the mandate, in addition to the protection of lives and property.
He reaffirmed the zero-tolerance stance of the corps Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, against all forms of vandalism, oil bunkering and illegal dealings in petroleum products.
Olowo said, “while the corps has redoubled its efforts towards arresting and prosecuting vandals, we will equally not spare any personnel, whose activities are reasonably suspected to be inimical to realising our mandate.
“I charge you once again not only to remain focused but be ruthless to all enemies of our nation’s economy.
“And remember that in carrying out these important directives, the rules of engagement must be strictly followed.
“The enviable reputation of the corps earned over the years must be jealously guarded,” Olowo said.
He thanked the public for providing credible and actionable intelligence information to the command which, according to him, enabled many successful arrests of suspects.
He gave assurance that every information received from the public shall be treated with a high level of confidentiality.
The NSCDC chief urged the citizenry to remain reliable partners of the corps in the business of providing adequate security for lives and property in the state. (NAN)
