NSCDC warns vandals, moves against illegal Guard Companies in FCT

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, has declared that Abuja is no longer a safe haven for vandals, warning that anyone caught destroying public infrastructure will face the full weight of the law.

The Command also intensified its crackdown on illegal Private Guard Companies (PGCs), warning that operators without the requisite licences and approvals would be sanctioned in line with the law.

The FCT Commandant, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, gave the warning while calling on residents to support the Corps’ ongoing campaign against vandalism by providing timely and credible intelligence to security agencies.

Odumosu, in a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, DSC Monica Ojobi, said the federal government’s ongoing infrastructural development across the FCT represents the dividends of democracy and must be protected by every resident, stressing that safeguarding critical national assets should not be left to security agencies alone.

“Security operations are intelligence-driven. We rely heavily on credible information from members of the public. Many people turn a blind eye whenever acts of vandalism are committed around them. That is wrong. Residents have a responsibility to promptly report such crimes through our emergency hotlines,” he said.

According to the Commandant, vandalism remains a major threat to national development, adding that the NSCDC, as the lead agency responsible for protecting Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI), is fully committed to responding swiftly to credible intelligence.

Odumosu warned that “We cannot allow criminal elements to sabotage government efforts aimed at improving the welfare of residents. The FCT is no longer a safe haven for vandals. Anyone involved in vandalising public infrastructure should either desist or be prepared to face the consequences of the law.”

He disclosed that the Command has intensified 24-hour surveillance across the Federal Capital Territory to protect public facilities, assuring that all suspects arrested for vandalism would be prosecuted.

The commandant also turned attention to operators of Private Guard Companies (PGCs), urging them to complement the Corps’ efforts by supplying credible intelligence capable of preventing attacks on critical infrastructure.

He warned that the command would soon begin strict enforcement against private security firms operating with fake, invalid or expired licences.

Expressing concern over the non-compliance of some operators with existing regulations, Odumosu said the Command would no longer tolerate violations.

“Any private security company operating in the FCT without a valid licence is doing so at its own risk because our enforcement team will soon catch up with them,” he said.

He revealed that surveillance of private guard companies is ongoing across the territory, adding that the Command is compiling a list of defaulting firms ahead of full-scale enforcement.

Odumosu advised operators with expired licences or fake documents to immediately regularise their status with the FCT Command or risk arrest and the closure of their companies.

The NSCDC also appealed to residents to report cases of vandalism through its dedicated emergency lines:

“As the lead agency responsible for protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI), we remain committed and ready to respond swiftly following credible information from you.

“We cannot allow criminal elements to sabotage the efforts of the government aimed at bettering the generalty of the people of the FCT. The statement added.