Strengthening security: NSCDC grants operational licenses to 93 private guard companies in 2023

In a bid to fortify national security, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) reported that it granted operational licenses to 93 private guard companies (PGCs) throughout the year 2023. Commandant General Ahmed Audi shared this information during an interview with reporters at the corps’ headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

Out of a total of 1,412 PGCs registered by the corps, 92 faced sealing across the country due to various operational violations. However, in the course of the year, 24 of the sanctioned PGCs were later unsealed. Audi explained that after sealing, these companies were given instructions to comply with and rectify the reasons for their sanctions. Following the satisfaction of specified conditions by law, the NSCDC lifted the seal on 24 of them.

Audi emphasized that the NSCDC’s mandate includes licensing, supervising, training, and monitoring the operations of private guard companies. This responsibility has allowed the NSCDC to carve a niche for itself in this domain.

Highlighting the significance of PGCs, Audi pointed out that they play a crucial role in complementing security efforts, especially considering their widespread presence across the country. Security operatives leverage their grassroots reach for intelligence gathering.

“We have tremendously recorded some progress as they have been very helpful, and we have also been receiving useful security information from them, which has helped us better secure the country,” Audi stated. The collaboration between NSCDC and private guard companies underscores the collective effort to enhance the overall security landscape in Nigeria.