New Nigerian Newspapers Online Edition

The Commandant of the Lagos command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Nathaniel Ubong has lamented the failure of the State government to extend to the command benefit derivable from its Security Trust Fund in spite of the command’s contribution to security of lives and property in the state.
Ubong who spoke in an exclusive with the New Nigerian expressed rude shock that his command could be denied the benefit accruable from the fund inspite the fact that he made meaningful contribution at the stakeholders meeting leading to the setting up of the fund.
“We are aware when the trust fund and vehicles were donated to the government and onward to the Police. We were shocked to the marrow that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were not given a single vehicle. I was one of the stakeholders invited by the State House of Assembly to make an input and I meaningfully contributed”.
He however expressed optimistic that governor Babatunde Raji Fashola would respond to the series of request sent to him in no long distance a time.
The NSCDC while disclosing some of the events the command had responded to which include rescuing at fire outbreak scenes, said it most time track down commercial vehicles from their owners to convey personnel to the scenes, just as he disclosed that the command has just only one operational vehicle.
Ubong on the activities of his command said it last year generated over one hundred million naira into the coffer of government through the monitoring of guard companies.
In the area of pipeline vandalisation and illegal bunkering, he disclosed that several suspects were recently apprehended including the seizure of seven tankers, two vessels and thousands of jerry cans filled with petroleum products.
Reacting to claims that most of NSCDC functions amount to duplication and usurpation of Police’s function, Ubong described the claim as fallacious and unreasonable, saying its function does not run parallel or in conflict with the police.
Further, he stressed that the strength of the Nigeria Police is not enough to police the country with a population of 140 million people, noting that the services of other security agencies would be needed to maintain law and other in the country.
“The strength of the Police is just about three hundred and fifty thousand while the population of the country is well over forty million. With this statistics, you will agree with me that this figure is grossly inadequate to police the country, hoe effective could this be to secure the lives and property of the people.
Rather than weep up sentiment, Ubong appealed for cooperation and cordial relationship among all the security agencies, while noting that the task of ensuring the safety of lives and property of citizens is an arduous task that require all hands on deck.