NSCDC BOSS PRESENT PRACTICING LICENCE TO PRIVATE SECURITY PRACTITIONERS

By: Michael Mike

As part of the Corps statutory mandate to train, supervise, monitor, and issue practicing licence to Private Guard Companies; the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr Ahmed Audi has presented practicing licences to 50 Private Security Practitioners.

Speaking during his keynote address while presenting the certificate at the National Headquarters of NSCDC in Abuja, the CG said that over 200 applications were received through the NSCDC Private Guard Companies Department (PGC Department and they were thoroughly screened after which only 50 companies met the requisite conditions to be issued with operational licence.

The NSCDC helmsman reiterated categorically that the Corps carried out thorough. screening and vetting before recommending the companies to the Minister of Interior for approval and issuance of practicing license.

He lauded the Minister of Interior, Hon (Dr) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo who is passionate about reforms in the security sector postulating digitalisation of the registration among other measures and called on practitioners both old and new to key into it.

While appreciating the role of private security in nation building, he noted that the industry has provided about four million employment opportunities for the youths and helps in complementing efforts of conventional security agencies.

The CG NSCDC calls for prompt Intelligence gathering which he affirmed as the bedrock of Security noting that the continuous collaboration with the NSCDC and other security agencies would enhance the nation’s security apparatus.

He advised Chief Executive Officers of the new companies to adhere strictly to core ethical standards of Care and Welfare of Security Guards, timely renewal of operational licence, recruitment of qualified persons and staff appearance.

Other highlights of the event includes an address of welcome by the Head of Private Guard Companies Department, ACG Peter Samuel Maigari, fsi,
lecture entitled, “the public in the private: the need to strengthen public partnership for national security in Nigeria” delivered by Prof Tyoor Frederick Terhemba, goodwill messages by the President, Association of Licenced Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN), Dr Chris Adigwu, Managing and Director/CEO Tagged Technologies ltd, Dr Omofoman Daniel and symbolic presentation of licences to new entrants.

NSCDC BOSS PRESENT PRACTICING LICENCE TO PRIVATE SECURITY PRACTITIONERS

Adamawa, Borno States’ Speakers Promises Speed Inacting Social Protection Law for Vulnerable Welfare

By: Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

The members of Borno and Adamawa state House of Assembly promised to give speedy deliberation and passage a law for establishing Social Protection Agencies for faster wide spread welfare to destitute and vulnerable in their respective states.

The speakers of Borno and Adamawa state’s Assemblies Rt. Hon. Abdulkareem Lawal and Rt. Hon. Bathiya Wesley made the disclosure in a separate interview with our reporter in Dutse, Jigawa state capital during their learning visit on Social Protection Programme to the state.

The Borno speaker was represented by his deputy and member representing Maiduguri metropolitan State assembly constituency, Hon Kotoko Alhaji Ali promised action that would fastract an establishment of Social Protection Agency in the state.

According to him “We are here in Jigawa state to study and learn how Social protection programmes are implemented and working. We are really impressed and satisfied with the programmes’ benefits to vulnerable and less privileged people particularly people with disabilities (PWDs).”

Tokoko stated further that “it is a very good project which is dealing with poverty and support to vulnerable social economic lives. For a state like Borno where suffering for insurgency that resulted in a lot of Internally Displace People (IDP) Camps the program would help a lot improving social lives of the destitute and vulnerable”.

In his parts the speaker Adamawa state house of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bathiya Wesley who was represented by his deputy, Honourable Muhammed Buba and member representing Dambulu state’s Assembly constituency promised all support for implementing the programme in Adamawa for the benefit of the people.

He said “for the first time I saw the people who benefited from the project and it’s positively transformed their lives during a story visit to Kiyawa here in Jigawa state. I see the real by myself and impressed with the good outcome”.

“As a member representing my constituency and public servants we will not hesitated in making move to introduce the programme and establishing the agency for effective implementation”.

Hon. Buba noted that “in this our learning visit we have visited to the Jigawa state house of Assembly and interacted with the speaker and member of the house. We opportune to collected a copy of a law established the Jigawa Social Protection Agencies. We will go and study the law and do the needful”.

Reports from the state indicated that 20 members from Adamawa and Borno state’s house of Assembly were on two day field learning visit to Jigawa state on social protection programme supported by the federal military of Budget and European Union.

Adamawa, Borno States’ Speakers Promises Speed Inacting Social Protection Law for Vulnerable Welfare

ActionAid Nigeria Demands Probe of Fraud in NELFUND Scheme

By: Michael Mike

ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has demanded the immediate investigation and suspension of all institutional heads complicit in the reported fraud in the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme.

ActionAid Nigeria in a signed statement by its Country Director, Andrew Mamedu on Wednesday said it was outraged by the revelations of systemic exploitation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme, with over 50 tertiary institutions across the country accused of inflating fees, withholding refunds, and financially sabotaging students who sought relief through the student loan programme.

Mamedu said: “This is not merely administrative misconduct; it is corruption in education institutions at its core.”

He lamented that: “These institutions have not only betrayed public trust but have actively undermined the very ideals of transparency, equity, and social justice that education should embody. Fee hikes ranging from N2,500 to N30,000 per student may seem trivial on paper, but when calculated across tens of thousands of students, this abuse snowballs into a multi-million-naira scandal. From ActionAid Nigeria’s conversations with students, this is seemingly not an isolated incident. It is a coordinated, normalised pattern of corruption.”

He said: “This scandal is a brutal reminder that when institutions lose their soul, students become collateral damage. These are young Nigerians who turned to the government’s loan scheme out of desperation not convenience and what they got in return was exploitation. Institutions entrusted with both academic and moral leadership have shamelessly commodified education.

“ActionAid Nigeria demands the immediate investigation and suspension of all institutional heads complicit in this fraud by their respective Governing Councils and calls on the Minister of Education and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to remain silent or passive where these Councils fail to act decisively. If eventually found guilty, they must be dismissed from public service and prosecuted without delay.

“We also call on the EFCC and ICPC to move beyond mere observation or investigation and take decisive legal action”

He also noted that: “One would have thought that paying institutions directly was the more efficient and secure route to minimise risks of student misuse and ensure timely tuition payments. But once again, these public institutions have proven incapable of individual and institutional accountability, turning a system built for support into one ripe for exploitation.’’

Mamedu further said: “While ActionAid Nigeria commends NELFUND and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) for taking the bold step of naming institutions involved in the mismanagement of student loan funds, naming alone is not justice. We urge that NELFUND and the Federal Ministry of Education immediately conduct independent forensic audits of all implicated schools; mandate public disclosure of how funds were received and used; ensure full refunds to all affected students; and establish student-led monitoring mechanisms to prevent future misuse.

“ActionAid Nigeria also urges the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Federal Ministry of Education to step up nationwide awareness campaigns so that students are not kept in the dark about the loans they have received, the institutions that benefited, and the rights they must now reclaim.”

Mamedu noted that: “This is about more than just student loans. We must strive to build a nation where dignity, fairness, and equal access to opportunities, services, and resources are non-negotiable. We also join our voices with activists, civil society, and concerned citizens in demanding that this scandal not be buried under bureaucracy.”

ActionAid Nigeria Demands Probe of Fraud in NELFUND Scheme