By Nwakpa O Nwakpa
The Heads of Security agencies in Ondo State have unanimously agreed to protect serving and prospective corps members deployed to the State.
They spoke separately when they received the Ondo State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani, who paid a courtesy call to their respective Commands.
The security chiefs promised to enhance their visibility around Orientation Camp as well as Corpers’ Lodges in all the 18 Local Government Areas in the state.At the Headquarters, 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment, Akure, the newly-posted Brigade Commander, Brig-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, said that NYSC, as a creation of the Nigerian Army during the period of Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) as Head of State and Commander in Chief, will remain a treasure to the military.
The officer who once served as Camp Commandant in NYSC said that his Command has capacity for intelligence gathering and at the same time improve the security network in all the nooks and crannies of the state.Gen. Yahaya asserted that the security architecture of the military formation has been enhanced by the Nigerian Army authorities to confront the several security threats the country is presently facing.
“The State Coordinator, we cannot begin to discuss about the security network and operational details so that those who are troubling this country will not have fore knowledge of how we operate. But I want to assure you that we are on top of security situation in the land.
“Please, you only need to advise your staff and corps members to take their personal security as priority. “By our arrangement, they might experience little inconveniences during the orientation course, but I want to say that it is for their own good ultimately,” he said.
At the Ondo State Police Command headquarters, the Commissioner of Police, CP Bolaji Amidu Salami, said that protection of lives and property is one of the core mandates of his Command.”NYSC and the Nigeria Police are children of the same parent and the bond between the two federal institutions is so strong that priority attention is always accorded the scheme at all times”.
CP Bolaji said that the corps members are distinguished members of the society because of their roles in nation building and the Nigeria Police will continue to invest in their security.
“Distinguished corps members are from different parts of the country, and it is our responsibility to protect them from whatever threat you can think of so that the service year would be memorable and fulfilling”.
The Commissioner of Police said that the Command will continue to make her services available to protect the members of the service corps and equally maintain the existing cordial relationships with NYSC.
The State Director of Security, Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Abdulrasheed Adediran, said that corps members are the root of the future of this country and as such would be protected from all forms of security threats.
The State Director of Security maintained that the Service is always working assiduously to protect and defend Nigeria against domestic threats.
Mr. Adediran said that his Command in conjunction with other security agencies will continue to ensure the safety of corps members that are serving not only in the state but the nation as a whole.
“Our security network covers all the communities and we shall not hesitate to beef up security and provide more safety measures in and around NYSC formations and Corpers’ Lodges in the State”.
At the Command Headquarters of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the State Commandant, Commander Edenabu Okoro Eweka, assured the State Coordinator that there would be no breach in the protection of corps members.
The Commandant said that NYSC has been adjudged the nation’s bridge builder because of the pivotal role the Scheme is playing at shaping positively the lives of the future leaders.
“In all honesty, NYSC has laudable programmes and for the Scheme to remain at front burner of government operations. We must keep an eagle eye on those who drive the process and this is what we have continuously been doing”.
He said that the hands of fellowship extended to the erstwhile State Coordinator would be a child’s play compared to the unflinching support his Command will place at the disposal of the Scheme during her tenure.
All the Security Chiefs allayed the fears of the State Coordinator about the recent happenings in Ikare Akoko where the camp is located.According to them, the Security Committee in the State had reviewed and relaxed the 24 hours curfew imposed on the State in the wake of the communal clash that erupted in the ancient town previous week.
The State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani visited the Security Chiefs to solicit their support for her administration and to help to beef up security around members of the service corps especially those that would be coming to serve in Ondo State.Mrs.
Ani thanked them for the quality of officers and men they send to complement the NYSC staff during successive orientation courses.While appreciating them for the warmth reception accorded her, the Ondo State NYSC boss then solicited for continued assistance to the scheme.
