The attention of the Guild of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Equity, Justice and Transparency in Nigeria (GOCMEJ) has been drawn to fake news and skewed narrative driven by a non-registered self-acclaimed NGO (Non-Governmental Organization), spearheaded by few self-serving private individuals.
The said “organization,” a few days ago, vehemently tries to cast aspersions and malign the hard-earned reputation of the management of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), when it said many unprintable things against this professionally run organization with the highest esprit-de-corps, as well as high morale of officers and men amongst paramilitary organizations in the country.
In a terse press release by the Guild’s Executive Director (Programmes), Comrade Mahmud Bello, and the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Gabriel Gwajime, the organization lampooned the unregistered so-called NGO and its National Coordinator. The duo described the helmsmen as a political jobbers and willing tools of blackmail, who go about castigating one organization after another in a bid to settle scores on behalf of their bankrollers, thereby currying undeserved favour.
The organization descend heavily on these fifth columnists and agent provocateurs for their fake rumour-mill and candidly advised them to engage themselves in lucrative and progressive endeavours to earn a decent living, instead of going about telling tales without iota of facts or empirical evidence whatsoever.
The Guild emphasized that the so-called group and its promoters are mischief makers, former disgruntled staff of the NSCDC, whose new stock-in-trade is peddling of falsehood and circulating fake news, in order to drag the hard-earned reputation of the Corps into odium and public ridicule. As such, GOCMEJ warned Nigerians to disregard the innuendoes orchestrated against the management, especially as it concerns the strict application of its anti-corruption policy under the leadership of the current Commandant-General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, which ostensibly saw many old staff out of the NSCDC.
The Guild condemned in its entirety this malicious and mischievous skewed narrative by a self-serving non-registered organization and called on well-meaning Nigerians to disregard and discountenance contents of this lucid campaign of calumny.
Based on this, the organization conducted a painstaking independent investigation and hereby affirms that all the allegations levelled against the management of the NSCDC are clandestine, pedestrian and malicious, all orchestrated by a shadow group of disgruntled people who are self-serving and envious of the superlative performances of management. The Guild has also confirmed that this orchestrated blackmail by fifth columnists cleverly laced with blatant lies and without an atom of truth whatsoever.
The statement added that “As foremost champions and advocates of accountability, good governance and transparency in public service in Nigeria, these malicious ethnic coloration and casting of aspersions on management is not only detrimental to good governance practice, but as well a threat to the NSCDC management.”
The organization therefore advised that these malicious publications in reference, should be regarded as null and void and of no consequence whatsoever, and should be disregarded, disparaged and discountenanced by all well-meaning Nigerians.
The Guild added that the so-called group are vindictive, callous, wicked and repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience, and their intent is to distract and pull down the hard-working management of NSCDC.
At this juncture, after the Guild’s thorough investigation in all ramifications, it hereby calls on Nigerians to disregard these campaigns of calumny against NSCDC management. The Guild also emphasizes for the umpteenth time and calls on these political jobbers and blackmailers to be mindful of their unprofessional language and stop forthwith this charade due to NSCDC’s consistency and patriotism in safeguarding critical national infrastructure across the length and breadth of the country.
On this premise, the Guild avers that these fellows have goofed, have become parochial, partisan, clannish and alien to the genuine efforts by NSCDC management to rid the country of criminal elements, banditry, cattle rustling, as well as protect lives and property of Nigerians.
GOCMEJ attests that the giant strides so far achieved in spite of the daunting challenges are as a result of the strategic directions, policies and programmes of the present Commandant-General such as the commissioning of the Standard Curriculum for the NSCDC aimed at entrenching career progression, effective supervision and regulating of the private guard companies in Nigeria. The Guild also notes with satisfaction, the establishment of the Special Female Squad (SFS); creation of the Intelligence Squad under the CG’s office for effective monitoring and prosecutorial duties of the Corps.
The Guild notes that the Commandant-General is a key asset in the protection and safety of lives and property, including critical national assets, which operations are not in doubt. GOCMEJ also acknowledges the fact that the CG recently gave marching orders to Commandants of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to ensure that they protect key assets within their jurisdiction during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, so as to reduce planned activities of trouble-makers, who foment and visit mayhem on innocent patriotic and unsuspecting public.
With nostalgia, the Guild asserts that the present transparent leadership of NSCDC qualifies the leaders to be referred to as ardent advocates of the change mantra to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration. This was arrived at, judging from these officers’ display of honesty, professionalism and patriotism to the core.
It is in view of the foregoing that the Guild hereby wilfully passes a “Vote of Confidence” on the management of NSCDC for the current institutional capacity building and repositioning that can best be compared with international best practices. GOCMEJ equally urges them to remain focused and undeterred in their efforts to rebrand the organization and provide best management practices to actualize President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proactive agenda.
The Guild equally calls on the international community to as well support the efforts of this proactive management to enable it further its best for the good of the generality of Nigerians, as the Guild asserts that it has no hesitation in endorsing the CG’s transparent and prudent management of scarce resources.