NSCDC Boss Audi, has ordered the immediate reinstatement of all personnel attached to Nigerian lawmaker, Honourable Shina Peller, a few hours after it was withdrawn over a bill seeking to scrap the security outfit.
The bill seeking to scrap the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was sponsored by the lawmaker representing lseyin/ltesiwaju/ Kajola/lwajowa Federal Constituency in Oyo State at the House of Representatives, Shina Peller.
NSCDC Boss Audi in a statement released on Wednesday 2nd February 2022, and signed by the Director of Public Relations, DCC Odumosu Olusola, reacting to a letter signed and sent Hon Shima Peller, informing him of the withdrawal of officials of the NSCDC assigned to him, was unauthorised and without recourse to the Corps constituted authority.
NSCDC Boss Audi in the statement said:
“Not only did the officer in question lack the power to do such, he was also found to have acted on his whims without clearance.
The Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, has therefore directed reinstatement of the withdrawn officers with a compliment of necessary courtesies to the Honourable Member,” the NSCDC Boss Audi added.
Hon Shina Peller And NSCDC:
The initial letter informing Shina Peller of the withdrawal of NSCDC personnel attached to him after his bill to scrap the agency scaled first reading was allegedly a directive by Audi, the NSCDC Boss and was dated Wednesday February 02, 2021.
“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.” the letter said.
Shina Peller’s Argument On The Need To Scrap The 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.”