No fewer than 38 senior officers, including an Assistant Commandant-General (ACG) of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have been dismissed by the Federal Government in the outgoing year.
The officers were dismissed for various offences, including gross misconduct, insubordination and violation of laws. The dismissal followed approval by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) under the Ministry of Interior.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi, a total of 76 senior and junior personnel in the Corps were subjected to various disciplinary measures for acts unbecoming of officers within the year.
He said 20 junior officers were dismissed from service, while three personnel were reduced by one rank and seven others issued warning letters.
Babawale said two senior officers were demoted by two ranks, another officer was reduced by one rank and five officers were issued warning letters.
He said the Commandant-General of the Corps, Prof. Ahmed Audi, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to reforming and repositioning the Corps through training and retraining of its operatives and would not condone actions capable of damaging the image of the Service.
Speaking further on measures taken by the administration within the year, Babawale said: “Various offences were attended to and 76 personnel involving Senior and Junior Staff had various disciplinary measures meted on them to serve as deterrent to others.
“As directed by the Civil Defence Correctional Fire and Immigration Service Board; CDCFIB, Disciplinary action have been meted on some senior officers as recommended by the NSCDC Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee: about 38 Senior officers, including Assistant Commandant-General (ACG) have been dismissed on account of gross misconduct, insubordination and acts unbecoming of a superior officer, according to the Public Service Rules (PSR).’’
He added that the Junior Staff Disciplinary Committee of the Corps also reviewed 30 cases involving job racketeering, extortion, aiding and abetting illegal dealings in petroleum products, fraudulent practices, gun running, AWOL and acts unbecoming of personnel in line with NSCDC standard operating procedures, code of conduct and the Public Service Rules.
“After the sittings of the Junior Staff Disciplinary Committee on about 30 cases involving various degree of gross misconduct; 20 personnel have been dismissed from the Service, three personnel were demoted by one rank while seven personnel were issued warning letters as recommended by the NSCDC Junior Staff Disciplinary Committee (JSDC),” the PRO said.
He said the NSCDC boss charged officers and men to remain focused on carrying out the Corps’ statutory mandate, especially with the enormous responsibilities assigned to the Corps by the government.
