The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Anambra State Command, has apprehended 13 private security guard operatives working for unregistered companies, or with companies operating with expired license in the state.
The State Commandant of NSCDC, Chukwudi Chikere, who stated this on Wednesday in a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Edwin Okadigbo, said the arrest followed the resolve of the corps to rid the state of quacks and streamline the private guard business by ensuring strict compliance with the law governing the sector.
Okadigbo said, “Today’s operation is in line with the statutory mandate of NSCDC to inspect, license, train and monitor the activities of private guards companies. Our aim is to uproot all illegal private security guards in the state thereby creating a conducive atmosphere for registered ones to operate without hindrance.
“Most of those apprehended are operating without valid registration and licenses by the Federal Government through NSCDC. With the current security challenges affecting our nation, there is need to conduct background checks on whoever is operating or working as a private security guard.”
The statement quoted one of the arrested guards, Sopuruchukwu Chinemerem who worked for Accurate Guard as pleading for mercy, saying he just resumed work with the company in January without prior information that the company was not registered.
The command said the intelligence and Investigation department had been mandated to conduct a thorough investigation as soon as possible before the suspects would be charged to court.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commandant, Francis Obinna Nnadi, Head of Private Guard Company Department, who led the operation said the Corps would not relent in its efforts in clamping down on the activities of illegal private security outfits who were yet to register with the corps as stipulated by the law.
Nnadi declared that those engaging the services of unregistered guards were endangering their lives and property, saying the corps as part of the registration requirements would conduct background checks to obtain information on the characters and identity of key players floating the company.
Some of the illegal security outfits personnel arrested included those from: Accurate Guard, Finotel Security, Halogen Security, St. Christopher Security Ltd, Albertina Security Guards, Superior Force, and Mega Guards.
