The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested seven private security guards and sealed three private guards companies operating illegally in Calabar, Cross River.

The NSCDC Commandant in the state, Mr Samuel Fadeyi, disclosed this in an interview in Calabar on Thursday.

Fadeyi said that the suspects were arrested in January in Calabar.

He explained that the companies were sealed for operating without a valid license, while the men were arrested for allegedly parading themselves as private guards for companies that were unknown to the Corps in the state.

The affected companies are Adonai Security Limited, Close Watch Security Limited and Excel Security and Protection Services Limited.

He said that security companies form part of the architecture, hence must be properly licensed, monitored and evaluated to ensure that they operated in line with their mandate.

According to him, the NSCDC is saddled with the responsibility of supervising and licensing private guard companies in the country.

He noted that from several conferences and meetings held with the Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi, the Corps stressed extensively on issues relating to illegal private guard companies and those who have failed to renew their license.

“Towards the beginning of the year, we had to go on our normal patrol to ensure that there is calm and orderliness in view of the insecurity challenges in the country.

“In the process, we saw some private guard companies in default. We had to seal three of them; and as part of our patrol, we arrested seven persons who said they were working for companies that were unknown to us.

“We need to really profile and get the biometrics of these security guards because we cannot afford to have a weakness in the area of private security guards because some of them act as informant to criminals. As we speak, the suspects are undergoing prosecution,” he said.

He further stated that the Corps organised training, workshops and seminars for private guard companies and issue certificates to them accordingly.

He advised security guard companies to maintain their standard, renew their license as at when due and also do a thorough background check on those they employed as guards.

Fadeyi said the Corps had obtained a favourable judgment from the Federal High Court in Calabar, mandating the two trucks that were arrested in 2021 for conveying adulterated diesel and kerosene be forfeited to the Federal Government.

“The court made the pronouncement shortly before going on vacation that the trucks be forfeited to the Federal Government and the adulterated product be destroyed.

“We are liaising with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to see the best possible way to destroy them without endangering the environment.

“We are continuing on our surveillance and I can assure you that with the support we are getting from our Commandant General, we will achieve more this year,” he added.

(The Guardian)

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