The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, has withdrawn all officers attached to the lawmaker representing lseyin/ltesiwaju/ Kajola/lwajowa Federal Constituency in Oyo State at the House of Representatives, Shina Peller.
The directive by Audi was in a letter dated February 02, 2021, addressed to the lawmaker.
“Following the directive of the Commandant General on the necessity of the deployment of the Command personnel for an urgent National security assignment,” the letter obtained by SaharaReporters read.
“On behalf of the State Commandant, I hereby withdraw the personnel attached to you, this is to meet up with the urgent National need.”
Though the Commandant-General claimed the officers were withdrawn for an urgent “national security assignment”, sources told SaharaReporters that the move was because of a bill sponsored by the lawmaker, seeking to scrap the security agency.
The NSCDC, which was a voluntary organisation, was converted to a national security outfit by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
Peller had in the bill which passed first reading on Tuesday proposed that the Nigeria Police Force should take over the responsibilities of the NSCDC.
The bill is titled “National Security And Civil Defence Corps (Repeal and Transition) Bill 2022”.
It 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, “this has led to avoidable conflicts.”
Peller stated, “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 N100bn.
“The assets and personnel of the NSCDC will be absorbed by the Nigeria Police. So, no loss of jobs.”