Akure(Nigeria): The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says over N1 billion has been paid to families of personnel who died and sustained injuries during operations across the country in two years.
Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, Commandant General (CG) of the NSCDC, disclosed on Monday in Akure during an operational working visit to the corps command in Ondo State.
Audi, who said the payment was based on rank, explained that the compensation was one of the strategies in the government’s welfare packages under the insurance benefit.
“So far, within the period of two years, the government has paid over N1 billion to our staff as a result of being involved in operational activities nationwide.
“Some we lost, some were injured to the extent that they had one or two of their limbs amputated. And in a bid to compensate them, the government approved such funds for the personnel. We give such funds to the deceased’s next of kin and to surviving personnel.
“Even last month, we paid particular staff shot during operation and many of them are from the northeast region.
“Some of them who had amputation of limbs, either arms or legs, we bought limbs for them,” he said.
The CG, who said that the corps would not relent in training and retraining of its personnel, said most of the injuries and deaths recorded were as a result of an ambush.
“If you trace the antecedents of ambush worldwide, it continuously records some casualties.
“Though we have developed other strategies on how to manage and when we find ourselves in an ambush, we know what to do,” he said.
Audi commended President Bola Tinubu and Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo for the compensation, saying it would go a long way to encourage other personnel to do more for their father’s land.
The CG said he had visited 29 commands and state formations, adding that he was in the state to get acquainted with the personnel by listening to them and addressing their problems.
He therefore encouraged the personnel to remain steadfast despite their challenges, saying that the government would not deprive them of any of their entitlements.
Audi said that he was always grieved whenever he lost personnel, while some personnel recently lost in Bayelsa prompted his visitation to the command and others.
“The visit is to encourage them not to lose hope in providing security and safety to critical national assets and infrastructure,” he said.
