Reps panel assures NSCDC of support to protect national assets

The house of representatives special committee on oil theft/losses has assured the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) of needed support to protect critical national infrastructure.

Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, chairman of the committee, spoke on Tuesday during a visit to the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja.

Ado-Doguwa, who was represented by Sesi Olawasegun, his deputy, commended Ahmed Audi, commandant-general of NSCDC, for the corps’ efforts to protect national infrastructure, including oil and gas pipelines.

The committee chairman said there is a need for the NSCDC to collaborate with other stakeholders to develop a critical national security assets and infrastructure protection response plan.

The legislator said “saboteurs and enemies of our country” must have a rethink and desist from their “evil onslaught on the economic livewire of this nation”.

“These core responsibilities of protecting critical national security assets and infrastructure (CNAI), among others, are so germane to solving the devastating menace of crude oil theft currently ravaging our country,” the committee chairman said.

“May I also emphasise that the protection of critical assets and infrastructure is very vital to the continued existence of every nation globally.

“To that effect, Nigeria’s National Security Strategy (NNSS) 2019, captured and emphasised the urgent need for safeguarding these assets.

“It was clearly stated in the National Security Strategy document that: ‘The key objectives of identifying, classifying and prioritizing critical national assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) are to determine appropriate levels of protection required for each CNAI or groups of CNAI; enhance the resilience of CNAI to hazards; and minimize the effect of attacks or disasters on CNΑΙ.’

“The document further highlighted that: “The lead agency statutorily responsible for protecting all critical national assets and infrastructure (CNAI) is the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). This therefore means that a lot is expected from the Corp.

“I commend the commandant-general and the officers and men of the corps for your outstanding commitment in delivering on your several mandates despite the enormous challenges confronting the corps,” he added. 

“However, the reality of what the country is facing today demands more from all of us.”

The lawmaker said the committee has the mandate of the house to work with NSCDC to address the challenge of oil theft.

The NSCDC commandant-general thanked the national assembly for the support, saying over 600 vandals had been arrested and more than 200 successfully prosecuted.