The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola has charged Mr Ahmed Audi, Commandant General , Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on implementing effective national security strategies to help fight insecurity.
Aregbesola made the call in a statement signed by the Corps Spokesperson, Mr Olusola Odumosu on Wednesday in Abuja.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore represented the Minister during a working visit to NSCDC Headquarters.
Aregbesola expressed confidence in the capacity of the newly appointed Controller General in repositioning the corps to become a more profound player in the security architecture of the country.
Belgore lamented the state of insecurity in the country which had been a challenge to all as a nation.
He further urged Audi to take up the responsibility to return Nigeria back to the old days when people could travel freely on Nigeria roads without fear of being waylaid, kidnapped or assassinated.
Aregbesola told the NSCDC boss that it was not beyond the corps to restore the country to a safe haven as it was.
“There is a reason for your appointment by Mr President and Commander in Chief of the Armed forces and it is required that you return our country to safety and bring it to peaceful times,” he said.
He reiterated that Audi’s appointment by the president was based on the observance that he had the capacity to deliver on improving the security landscape of Nigeria which a lot of work and investments had gone into.
“Nigeria has so much attractiveness in terms of the terrain, the geography, the people, the agricultural layout, the market and the infrastructure, hence there is need to protect, defend and sustain our nation by maintaining internal peace and security,” the minister said.
Aregbesola maintained that before the emergence of the new NSCDC boss had challenges rising to the occasion of meeting the country’s need and fulfilling the mandates of the corps that kept expanding daily.
“To meet the country’s needs everybody in the corps has to be on the same page with the CG as I charge all officers and men to give unalloyed support to the him who has a fantastic vision which he enumerated on the day he was sworn in by the minister.
“He has grand plans which should be adopted by everybody and all should make sure that this plans are achieved,” he said.
He further charged the corps helmsman to make sure that he delivered on his mandates and achieve the objective all Nigerians expect and desire.
He assured the commandant of the support of his ministry to provide him the needed assistance to succeed in carrying out appropriate policies and programmes that would bring the corps up to speed with its counterparts across the globe.
“We are very comfortable with the programme and pathway the commandant has brought forward towards achieving this goals which includes administrative reforms, tactical and training programs as well as disciplinary enforcement and adjustment.
“There is really no alternative administrative, operational and disciplinary way to achieve this as there is a lot of work to be done,” he said.
NSCDC boss thanked the minister for his support since his assumption of office and assured that he would work assiduously to provide the needed security for critical National Asset and Infrastructure, the farming communities as well as school children all over the country.
He reiterated that the corps would be reinvigorated and nurtured into a formidable force under his leadership to continue to provide services that will justify the confidence reposed in her by all Nigerians. (NAN)