House Probes Alleged 10yr Lopsidedness in NSCDC Recruitment

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committees on Interior, Federal Character and Public Service Matters to investigate recruitment, staff quota and promotion exercises carried out by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over a period of 10 years.

 The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Hon. Dumnamene Dekor, at the plenary yesterday.

Moving the motion, Abiante noted that recent reports indicate that the NSCDC has not been observing the principles of federal character in its recruitment processes thus, marring the Corps with irregularities, racketeering, favouritism and nepotism as well as securing convictions for erring officials.

He said the House is aware that the recent recruitment exercises by the NSCDC were marred with favouritism and abuse of federal character principles, where the management team used their position and influence in high places of authority to recruit family members.

According to him, it was reported that a recruitment exercise was done without advertisement with over 90 employment letters returned to the headquarters from Imo State as those who were to receive their letters did not show up and that those slots were reported to belong to Rivers State indigenes.

He said: “Cognizant of the fact that in 2021, the Joint Committee on Security and Public Service of the Bauchi State Assembly led by Honourable Sabo Bako Sade recommended outright rejection of the recruitment exercise as being fraudulent, which resolutions the Bauchi State House of Assembly adopted and communicated same to the NSCDC headquarters. 

Also cognizant of the judgment of the Sokoto State High Court which sentenced two officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mainasara Malami and Emmanuel Salihu, respectively to 14 years imprisonment for defrauding four persons of l.9 million, under the pretence of securing jobs for them.”

The lawmaker expressed concern that the ‘ugly precedence’ has become a frequent occurrence in the NSCDC and currently, indigenes of other states are being employed, promoted and allocated in the place of the quota for Rivers State indigenes.

Adopting the motion, the House gave the Committees six weeks to carry out the investigation and report back for further legislative action.