By Palma Ileye
FCT Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has sealed three Private Guard Companies, PGCs, for operating illegally in Abuja.
This is contained in a press release issued yesterday by ASCI Okomanyi Comfort, CDPRO, FCT Command.
According to the statement, the NSCDC, FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu alongside personnel of the operations and PGC unit embarked on a monitoring and enforcement exercise on Wednesday in Abuja.
It stated that the three PGCs sealed were Ochacho Security Nigeria Ltd at Idu Industrial Layout, Justigo Security and Allied Services in Gwarimpa and Macro Security Consult and Service at Wuse 2, Abuja.
Odumosu in the statement said that Ochacho was sealed on the offence of failure to register as a PGC, refusal to be subject to licensing authority, employment of guards without approval and threat to national security and public interest.
“We have invited them and they refused to comply, so we are left with no choice but to seal so that they will stop operating illegally and be compelled to register appropriately,” he said.
The Commandant said that Justigo security company was sealed on the basis of non renewal of operation license, and the usage of two different uniforms for one company, which he tagged illegal and a violation of set guidelines for the use of uniforms and accoutrements for private guard companies.
“You are also charged on offence of threat to national security, refusal to be subjected to licence authority, employment of guards without licence approval.
“You are expected to conspicuously display your operation license in the office but here there is no such thing.
“You have not renewed your license in the last two years and if you claim you have, show us the evidence because there is no receipt or anything whatsoever to show for your renewal over the last 3 years,” Odumosu queried.
He further said that Maco Security Company was sealed because the company had not registered and had been operating illegally for years.
He decried the inappropriate one room office the PGC was operating from, which also doubled as a quantity surveyor firm and did not meet the required standard of operations.
“They have been operating since the last 3 years without operation license, this is an illegality and it would not be allowed,” Odumosu said.
According to him, it was illegal of the company to resume operations without appropriate registration.
He said the Corps was saddled with the responsibility to license and regulate the operations of PGCs, hence the sealing of the three companies over compliance violation.
The Command boss said that PGCs formed a major part of Nigeria’s internal security system which necessitated the need for the monitoring and enforcement.
“This is a matter of serious security concern which can not be compromised, we can’t allow quacks or miscreants to handle our security, so this effort would be sustained.
“Security operations is not an all comers affair because we are already facing too many security challenges and that is why we will not allow any operation that is illegal.
“Under the leadership of the Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, we will not condone such illegalities and threat to national security,” the Commandant said.
The Helmsman however said that once all sealed PGCs fulfill the necessary operational requirements, their companies will be unsealed and given operational approval.