Nigeria's Security System Needs Overhauling–NSCDC Boss

In order to efficiently curb crimes in Nigeria, security apparatus in the country should be overhauled through effective training, proper restructuring and provision of equipment for prompt discharge of their assigned mandate, Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ade Abolurin, has suggested.

The NSCDC boss made this observation over the weekend at the faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. He delivered a lecture on ‘Prevention and Management of Electoral Violence in Nigeria,’ where he advocated for manpower development and capacity building for security agencies in Nigeria as a panacea for curbing electoral violence.

He pointed out that in spite of the endemic nature of electoral violence, with adequate training and re-training of security personnel, electoral education, anti-corruption crusade, good governance and electoral law reforms, electoral violence will be nipped in the bud and solutions will emerge to ensuring the consolidation of Nigeria democracy.

Abolurin noted that the Nigeria Police, being the lead agency in crime prevention, has a crucial role to play in ensuring law and order as well as the sanctity of the electoral process. This, according to him, can be achieved through increased cooperation, partnership and synergy between the Police and other security agencies like the NSCDC, Department of State Services, Immigration Service, the Armed Forces, Prisons Service and the Custom Service among others.

The Commandant disclosed that while election remains an important tool with which the electorates translate democratic tenet into reality and effecting changes in government in contemporary democracy, there is an indispensable need for maintenance of peace, prevention and management of electoral violence in Nigeria during election period. He explained that electoral violence arises due to inability of the opposition and relevant political actors to resolve perceived or real grievances which if not properly addressed could ultimately lead to escalated violence which is capable of truncating a strong, efficient and virile democracy, with its adverse effect on human security and social development of the country. 

According to him, it is equally important to enlighten the citizens to shun violence and embrace a culture of peace to curtail insecurity and cycle of violence prevalent in our society.

The occasion was chaired by Otunba (Engr.) B.O. Osoba, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police.