NSCDC sanctions 66 personnel over misconduct, including arms dealing

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has sanctioned 66 of its personnel over various offences, including involvement in arms dealing, the corps' Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, said on Friday.

Audi, who spoke to journalists in Abuja, said the punishments range from dismissal and compulsory retirement to demotion and warnings, depending on how serious each offence was.

The sanctions were approved by the Civil Defence, Correction, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) after investigations into the allegations, he said. The affected officers came from state, zonal and area commands, the national headquarters and other formations across the country.

According to Audi, all of them went through the corps' disciplinary process, including orderly room trials and staff disciplinary committees, before the board gave its approval.

Prosecution for the most serious cases

The commandant general said some of those involved in the most serious offences will still face prosecution, while others have already been dismissed after facing trial.

Some of them are to face prosecution while some had been dismissed after facing prosecution,

he said, adding that the decision followed the seriousness of each case.

He said the exercise was meant to strengthen discipline in the corps and warn other personnel against breaking its rules.

The culture of any military or paramilitary organisation stands or is built on discipline,

he said.

It is not clear from his remarks whether the 66 include officers being investigated over the deaths of miners in Niger State. A panel that probed those deaths said the miners suffocated in NSCDC custody and recommended the dismissal of the suspended Niger State commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and other officers directly involved. The panel also recommended ₦1.4 billion in compensation for the families of the dead miners and 44 survivors.

Promotions for about 17,000 personnel

In the same interview, Audi said about 17,000 NSCDC personnel had recently been promoted. He said roughly 22,000 sat the promotion examination, and about 17,000 qualified based on their performance and the vacancies approved by the Federal Government.

The results are ready and will be displayed on the corps' notice boards so personnel can check their outcomes, he said. He thanked President Bola Tinubu for supporting the exercise and other reforms in the corps.

For ordinary Nigerians, the disciplinary action matters because NSCDC officers work at markets, schools, mining sites and highways, and are often the first uniformed officials people meet in a dispute. How firmly the corps handles misconduct affects public trust in its officers.

What happens next: The promotion results will be posted on NSCDC notice boards. The corps has not said when the personnel facing prosecution will appear in court, and it has not confirmed whether any of the 66 are linked to the Niger State miners' deaths.