NSCDC Foiled 48 School Kidnap Attempts, Destroyed 283 Illegal Refineries, Generated ₦4.4bn In 5 Years — CG Audi

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Abubakar Ahmed Audi, has declared that the Corps thwarted 48 planned school kidnappings, destroyed 283 illegal refineries, arrested 4,677 suspected economic saboteurs and generated a staggering ₦4,476,237,986 in revenue within five years of his administration.

Audi made the disclosure at the grand finale of the World Civil Defence Day celebration in Abuja, drawing applause from officers, dignitaries and stakeholders who gathered for the colourful ceremony.

He said the thwarting of 48 school kidnap attempts was recorded at a time when schools across the country were under relentless threat from bandits and criminal elements, stressing that the protection of students and educational institutions became a top operational priority under his watch.

“After we they were deployed to provide security for our schools, they were able to thwart over 48 attempts of school kidnapping nationwide,” he said, referring to the female special squad established and trained by the Nigerian Army for school protection operations.

According to him, the Corps intensified intelligence gathering, strengthened rapid response mechanisms and deployed specialised units to vulnerable communities to foil attempted abductions before they could be executed. “Protecting our children and securing educational institutions became a top operational priority under my watch,” he stated.

Providing a statistical breakdown of activities from March 2021 to date, the NSCDC boss who also highlighted significant victories in the fight against oil theft and the modernisation of the Corps, said they arrested 4,677 suspected economic saboteurs as part of its anti-vandalism operations, secured 2,039 prosecutions and recorded 638 convictions.

The CG said, “In the past five years, I have discharged the duties of my office intelligently and responsibly. With every sense of sincerity, we have been able to achieve significant milestones and provide positive leadership. Statistics from March 2021 to date shows that we arrested 4,677 suspected economic saboteurs, 2,039 prosecutions carried out and 638 have been convicted.”

He described the crackdown on oil theft and related economic crimes as one of the hallmarks of his administration, revealing that 283 illegal refineries were destroyed within the period under review.

Reflecting on what he termed the “asymmetric conflict” facing Nigeria, Audi noted that the Corps has transitioned into a frontline agency in managing humanitarian crises, working closely with sister agencies to provide critical support to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by insurgent attacks.

To combat evolving domestic threats, he said he prioritised aggressive training to sharpen staff competence in surveillance, intelligence gathering and arms handling. He buttressed that under his watch, the Corps established a Command and Staff College in Jos, Plateau State, as well as a College of Arms Squad and Support Services in Nasarawa State, and introduced a standardised curriculum across all training schools to formalise career progression and development within the service.

On revenue generation, Audi disclosed that the Corps generated ₦4,476,237,986 within the period under review, which was paid directly into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

He said, “The amount generated which we were asked to pay directly to the Consolidated Revenue put together under the period under review is ₦4,476,237,986. So far, complaints stands at handled 52,while the amount recovered from complainants is N3.3 million. The number of companies upgraded from category B to A, three, number of companies downgraded none.”

He also reported a major overhaul of the Private Guard Companies sector, stating that 376 new firms were registered, 893 were awaiting licences, 3,869 licences were renewed, while 443 companies were sealed for failing to meet operational requirements, with 241 reopened after complying with standards.

Audi said that in addition, 467 stakeholder meetings were held across various states and 15,157 guards were trained nationwide.

The CG maintained that the achievements recorded over the past five years stood as evidence of what he described as responsible and result-driven leadership, insisting that the Corps will continue to reposition itself to confront Nigeria’s dynamic security challenges head-on.