NSCDC boss advocates inclusion of PGC in criminal justice system

In an efforts to make effective crime prevention and control, the federal government has been called upon to make registered Private Security Guards Companies (PGC) in Nigeria part of the criminal justice system of the country.

This is just as operators of the private companies were counseled to operate within their limit and focus more in their areas of crime prevention, intelligence gathering as they were not meant to combat crimes.

A lecturer, the College of Security Management of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abeokuta Japhet Rotimi, a Chief Supritendent (CS), stated this in a lecture delivered at stakeholders meeting and award day organised in honour of private guard Companies by the Kwara state command of the (NSCDC) held at the command’s headquarters Thursday,in Ilorin.

In his lecture titled “Strengthening the Capacity of Private Guards Company in National Security “,Rotimi said the PGC were necessary to make up for the United Nations recommendation of one security guard to (1-4) persons.

He said Nigeria, with about 150 million population required about 30 million security personnel that will cut across all agencies.

While advocating the establishment of more private guards to fill in the gap,the lecturer said the coming of new security outfits including the peace corps should not breed rivalry amongst security outfits, rather they should complement each other.

“Private guard company are not to combat crime,they are to prevent crimes and the best way to combat crime is to prevent it from happening and that is why private security guards company is very, very important in the security network of this country”,he said.

State commandant of the NSCDC, Ideba Pedro advised members of the PGC association to “shun rancour and acrimony” for effective performance.

Represented by the command’s second in charge, a deputy commandant of the Corps (DCC),Taiwo Babalola, Ideba said those selected for awards were considered based on their outstanding performance.

In his remarks,chairman, Association of Private Guards in the state,Engineer Shola Obadeyi said the event organised by NSCD was “unique” and would go a long way in promoting inter-agencies collaboration amongs private security guards in the country and the NSCDC.