Akpan Umoh, Uyo
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed enough personnel to man critical infrastructure across the state, especially infrastructure belonging to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to forestall vandalism.
The NSCDC Commandant in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Suleiman Mafara, said this to our correspondent in Uyo on Thursday.
Mafara said there was an urgent need for the Command to be proactive and planned ahead to ensure the safety of government critical infrastructure in the state as the yuletide was fast approaching.
The commandant warned hoodlums and all criminals to stay clear of INEC facilities and all other critical infrastructure in the state, stressing that anyone caught destroying government infrastructure would be dealt with decisively.
“Right now, we are in an election period and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has the mandate to ensure that come 2023 elections hold in all parts of the country as arranged by INEC.
“The protection of these infrastructures or facilities is considered very critical to the successful transition of power.
“For this reason, the NSCDC Akwa Ibom Command has already made deployment of personnel to all INEC facilities in the state to beef up security in such facilities in conjunction with sister security agencies.
“We can assure the good people of Akwa Ibom that INEC facilities in the state are safe, our personnel are there and are working around the clock to make all facilities safe. Hoodlums should stay clear of these facilities,” Mafara warned.
The commandant said the command would not relent in ensuring that bunkering of petroleum products is eliminated as the agency is working hard in collaboration with other security agencies and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
He appealed to the Akwa Ibom people to furnish the command with adequate information on where these illegal activities are taking place within their environment for prompt action.
“We have over 60 personnel manning the oil pipelines across the state to forestall any vandalism of these critical infrastructures and ensure safety.
“We also ensure maximum security for oil facilities and expatriates working in the facilities, our personnel are also safeguarding power infrastructure in the state,” he said.
Mafara also warned unregistered private guard companies to stay clear of the state as the command would not tolerate any illegal operators in the state.
According to him, last week two private guard companies were apprehended for extending their services to the state without fulfilling laid down regulations.
He said, “The business of operation is that anytime you extend your services to other state, you must make yourself known, you must register, you must declare your operations, so that monitoring your activities could be effective.”