Poised to rejig, revamp, reactivate, restructure and reposition Nigeria’s foremost asset protection agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and upscale it to a world class security organisation, a collaborative template has been agreed upon with the United States and France to achieve this national security objective.

Commandant General of the Corps, Dr Ahmed Audi, while playing host to two separate delegations from the two countries on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at the NSCDC Headquarters, Abuja, sought and received their approval to avail personnel of the Corps training in different areas of security operations.

A statement by the NSCDC Director Public Relations, Olusola Odumosu, a Deputy Commandant of the Corps (DCC), informed that Dr Audi stressed that the requested training for the NSCDC personnel would enhance their capacity for effective performance in different areas of national assignments.

The CG added that these trainings would deepen their capacity to deliver on the statutory mandate of the service as the lead agency charged with the responsibilities of anti-vandalism, disaster management, regulation of private guards and Agro Rangers, among others.

He emphasized the need for upgrade of the Corps’ infrastructure profile to include state-of-the-art surveillance equipment like surveillance cameras, drones and tracking devices, maintaining that these were strategic to the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure from the nefarious activities of vandals, saying such assistance will reposition the corps to deliver its optimal best and most effectively in its areas of responsibility.

The NSCDC No. 1 stated that specialized training in Counter Terrorism, Counter Insurgency and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Response (CBRNE) accompanied with simulation exercises will better reposition the NSCDC to respond more proportionately to the current asymmetric warfare affecting Nigeria.

Responding, Senior Regional Security Officer in the US Embassy, Michael Vannett Steven, appreciated the corps over its response to security situations, citing the peaceful conduct of its personnel in dispersing protesters in Abuja.

Steven expressed his country’s willingness collaborate with the NSCDC, informing that his country has experts in many areas, advising the CG to articulate the request in areas of priority, assuring that the US will assist the corps to succeed in its given mandate.

Similarly, in his response, Desk Officer French MOFA, Police Cooperation Ministry of French Foreign Affairs, Lt. Col. Laurent Savio, said he was delighted to visit the NSCDC Headquarters, noting that it was an opportunity for him to articulate the strategic needs of the corps with a view to providing needed support.

He promised to undertake recommendation for the Corps to organisations where certain equipment are produced and look into the possibility of providing those made in France to the corps.

As part of discussions on the collaboration with France, Security Attache in the France Embassy, Verin Emmanuel and the CG are to meet and fashion out better ways of effecting the collaboration.