Reps slam IGP over utterances on Civil Defence Corps

By Luka Binniyat
ABUJA—The House of Representatives yesterday said the recent call by the Inspector General of the Police, Alhaji. Hafiz Ringim, for scrapping of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDS, was an affront on the National Assembly which made the law legalising the Corps.

The Reps said it was not taking the matter lightly, as there was no evidence that the Corps was acting without a legal authority.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, Abba Dawud Lawan, who made this known when he summoned the  Commandant-General of the NSCDS, Ade Abulorin, to brief the committee on the development, said the assertion of the IG was an affront on the constitutional powers of the National Assembly.

The IG had complained that the NSCDS was overlapping the functions of the Nigerian Police in violation of section 214(1) of the 2010 constitution which stipulates that only the Nigeria Police is allowed to Police the country.

The IG, who said the Corps should be scrapped,  had also protested against  the NSCDS Act, 2007, which allowed the Corps limited use of fire arms, saying the Corps had no training to handle weapons.

“If  hunters can apply and private citizens can apply and be allowed to use fire arms after being granted licenses, what is wrong in an organisation set up by law to help in internal security using limited fire arms?

“We have searched in vain to see where the function of the Police and Civil defence are in conflict.  What is wrong in having an outfit that helps to ensure more security in the country, especially when it is backed by law?” He queried.

When asked why it was only the NSCDS that did not have any presence at the National Assembly, NSCDS boss said he didn’t want to make comments because of the presence of the press.

“But we have been through untold hardship in the course of trying to discharge our services to  Nigerian people,” he said.

The Chairman of Committee said his committee would liaise with the House Committee on Interior to take a strong stand on the IG’s demand for the death of the Corps.

The Civil Defence Corps was established to provide measures against threat and any form of attack or disaster in the country and it is statutorily empowered by Act No 2 of 2003 and amended by Act No 6 of June 2007