Reps to probe NSCDC over ‘violation’ of federal character in recruitment

The house of representatives has resolved to investigate the alleged violation of the federal character principle in the recruitment and promotion exercises in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The resolution was passed during plenary on Tuesday following the adoption of a motion by Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Dumnamene Dekor.

Section 14(3) of the 1999 constitution mandates government agencies to reflect the federal character principle in the conduct of their affairs to promote national unity.

The section states: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies”.

While leading the debate on the motion, Abiante, who is the lead sponsor, alleged that the NSCDC has not been observing the federal character principle in its “recruitment, staff quota, and promotion process”.

“Recent reports indicate that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has not been observing the principle 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.

“Recent recruitment exercises by the NSCDC were marred with favouritism and abuse of the federal character principle, where the management team used their position and influence in high places of authority to recruit family members, as 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.

“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.

“Worried that this 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.”

The motion was adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Idris Wase, the presiding officer.

The house subsequently mandated the committees on interior, federal character, and public service matters to investigate the “recruitment, staff quota and promotion exercises carried out by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps over a period of 10 years” and report back within six weeks for further legislative action.