NSCDC, Search for Common Ground Organise Capacity Building for Civil Defence Officers

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in conjunction with Search for Common Ground; a Nigerian International Non Governmental Organisation has organised a 5-Day Capacity Building Training on “Common Ground Approach and Early Warning and Early Response To Conflict” for officers of the NSCDC.

The training witnessed participants who are top management staff officers of the NSCDC at Sandralia Hotel in Abuja.

The training programme was organised to provide the participants and others with the tools, insights, and strategies necessary to navigate the pressing security challenges facing the country .

While declaring the conference open, the NSCDC Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi said the training is to enhance development and result -oriented outcome .

The NSCDC Boss said: “Discipline starts from training and retraining, we will continue to leverage on the regular training programs because we are also product of regular training programs which has helped us to evolve professionally and gives us much required impetus to always live up to expectation.”

Audi, in his address, traced the beginning of the present day insurgency years back and lamented that what started like a child’s play has now developed to full scale monsters such as kidnapping, banditry in the North and militancy in the South South.

He postulated that to strengthen the nation’s Security architecture there is need for improvement in the area of synergy among the security agencies, adding that the present collaboration has started to yield more positive results.

He said: “We can trace the genesis of the present day insurgency to sometime in 2007. When stated somewhere in a particular state has now spread to every corner of the country with various names as banditry and kidnapping in the North East, North West and North Central to Militancy and agitators in the South South and South East.

“One thing that is constant with the present reality is that no particular security agency can lay claim to holistic strategy on how to combat this insurgency.
This is time to improve on synergy among the security agencies in the country.

“Interestingly, the synergy among the security agencies are improving in recent time with the exhibition of 3 Cs; Collaboration, Coordination and Cooperation

The good working relationship is now conspicuous and we look forward to more favourable working relationship. “

In her welcome address the Country’ Director of Search for Common Ground, Fatimah Abubakar, who was represented by Director of Programme, Miss Gift Owonipa, lauded efforts and sacrifice of the NSCDC and other security agencies in the country adding that the workshop is being organized to strengthen operational responses to emerging contemporary security threats.

She said: “We will like to recognize the immense sacrifice that NSCDC makes on daily basis together with other security agencies in safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians especially the country’s infrastructure and salute your courage in the face of adversity.

“We have come to realize that the country has continue to grapple with myriad of conflict such as inter communal clashes , insurgency, banditry, militancy , cultism and other form of violence and conflict.

This training represents a significant step towards empowering the participants to imbibe an early warning early response system and is expected to foster a safer, more stable and peaceful Nigeria. ” She disclosed.

NSCDC, Search for Common Ground Organise Capacity Building for Civil Defence Officers