The Rivers state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Friday said it needed more equipment for effective service in 2019.
The Commandant, Mohammed Haruna stated this while addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Haruna said that inadequate equipment and limited manpower were the major challenges of the corps in the state.
“Inadequate equipment such as gunboat, speedboat are our major challenges in carrying out our duties.
”We have limited number of personnel in Rivers, we are soliciting the support of the Federal Government to enable us carryout our duties effectively in 2019,” he urged.
Haruna said that the corps’ readiness to protect the national critical assets and infrastructure was non- negotiable.
He, however, noted that the corps services had yielded positive results in pipeline vandalism and checkmating of oil thieves in the state.
“Others are telecommunication facilities, power facilities, disaster management rescue operations and emergency evacuation.”
The commandant disclosed that the corps arrested 132 suspected oil thieves, impounded 36 trucks and secured 65 convictions in 2018.
According to him, the corps also impounds 15 vehicles, six vessels, 170 drums all conveying adulterated petroleum products within the year under review.
“The corps also impounded 20 boats, six vessels and 170 drums all conveying adulterated products.”
Haruna said that the command had also trained 194 guards for private security firms in the outgoing year and licensed 55 private security companies.
“We have a total of 173 private guards companies in the state out of which only 12 were yet to update their records.
” The corps does not destroy impounded petroleum products, rather, the command present them as exhibits in court.”
The Commandant assured that the command would work more effectively in 2019. (NAN)
