In a bid to solidify the relationship between government security agencies and private security guards companies (PGC) the Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN) paid a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Headquaters where the Corps executive Dr. Ade Abolurin tasked them to be more proactive in the areas of intelligence gathering and dissemination appropriately to the Corps as the government-nominated regulator and supervisor.
The Corps lauded the Association on their exemplary effort in grassroot security and the efforts made by private security guards in providing insider intelligence to the Corps and other security agencies to nip in the bud cases that could affect the security of the nation and encouraged them not to relent at all as the nation appreciates and expects more from them as the third tier of national security.
The Commandant General, who was represented by Dr. Nnamdi Nwinyi, Assistant Commandant General in charge of the PGC department, urged the Association to flush out quacks within their ranks in order to sanitize and provide proper punitive measures against quacks and defaulters.
The Corps reassured the excos that it would always be ready to render assistance whenever the need arose, especially as it would lead to making PGCs a more vibrant industry and make others to see the reason why they should become members of the body which is made up of professionals.
He tasked the companies to brace up to the challenges of the 2015 general elections as they have an enormous role to play in ensuring a successful, hitch-free, violence-free elections, as the Corps has put in place modalities that could assist the security agencies to have effective monitoring of the election processes.
The Chairman of the Association’s Kaduna State Chapter, Mrs. Emilia Csaszar who led the other delegates from Kaduna said, the visit also served as a sensitization and familiarization of the PGC exco to its regulatory and supervisory body towards harmonizing and collaboration of their activities with government security agencies most especially the regulatory body.
She emphasized the need to have a cordial working relationship with the Corps and other stakeholders and to upgrade and maintain a vibrant body containing companies that are licensed. The visit encouraged greater outside interaction and a channel for the periodic reporting of security situations across the country.
Both parties agreed that as the Association and its members become a more professional and developed industry, standard salary and staff welfare packages such as health insurance, pensions and so on must become the norm, training and retraining of the staff must be paramount as they take advantage of the opportunity provided by the Corps in making the industry enviable to all by dedicating Civil Defence College for Security Management Abeokuta free, for training of the PGC operatives and guards..
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of BEN TV Dr. Alista Soyode and his Nigerian management team paid a courtesy call to the NSCDC headquaters and used the opportunity to highlight on the need of good role models to guide the youths that are presently facing the prejudice and discrimination stemming from the negative stereotypical images of blacks portrayed in the media. Dr. Soyode, who is the coordinator for Nigerian in Diaspora highlighted on the civil nature of Nigeria’s security and the Civil Defence Corps and its role in peace initiative and building as a service, not a force.
Also, Dr. Soyode emphasised on the need for Nigeria’s youths to have role models to advise them at all times. He supported the Nigeria Project and the Centenary, introducing souvenirs to prove the level of his and his organisation’s patriotism.
Both parties raised the issues of the challenges of the social media where the use of mobile devices turned every individual into an information source, usually with negative effect. In that regard, BEN TV proposed a partnership with the Corps aimed at promoting peace and patriotism in the country.
Representing the Commandant General Dr. Ade Abolurin for the occasion, Deputy Commandant Engr. S.A. Bello commended the effort of the CEO but saying that changing the perceptions of people will not be an easy task, but the use of open dialogue will be a good starting point. But the Corps cautioned that the use of inflammatory words will never bring about national development and the media should not be seen as culpable in the fanning for flames in the name of sensationalism.
He appreciated the request for synergy and partnership with the Corps as this recognises the efforts made in carrying out its national mandate.