The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has trained no fewer than 300 local security guards (vigilantes) and hunters in Gwanara District of Kwara North.
Mr Muhammed Ibrahim, Kwara Commandant of the corps, said on Thursday in Ilorin that the beneficiaries were trained in 2022.
Ibrahim explained that the training was to reiterate the corps commitment towards ensuring total security in the state in 2022.
He said that many sensitisation programmes were also organised by the command for stakeholders, local security guards, secondary school students as well as in-house training for staff operations within the year under review.
Ibrahim however said that more training and sensitisation had been planned for 2023 across the state, adding that training of local guards at Ilesha Baruba in Kwara North would be the next.
He commended the efforts of some communities in Kwara South for their support in providing offices, accomodation, vehicles and motorcycles to NSCDC in Offa, Igbaja, Ore and Ayedun.
The commandant assured that the corps, in collaboration with other security agencies, would ensure that the state was free from vandals, bandits, kidnappers and all forms of vices, adding that lots of progress had been made.
He however called for more support from government, well to do individuals and the general public to support NSCDC with logistics, transportation and reliable information to fight crime and ensure safety in the state.
Ibrahim also recommitted to ensuring the safety and protection of lives and property of residents in the state.
He stressed that year 2023 had lined up national programmes, including the forthcoming population census, general election and swearin-in activities, assuring the readiness of the corps to ensure absolute security.
“We have made necessary arrangement to ensure peaceful conduct of the forthcoming election and population census in order to protect the lives and properties of the people in the state.
“We shall deploy security personnel to all the flashy areas and places where political activities usually take place, to ensure that everybody abide by the law and the state is safe for the people.
“We will also assist the officials of the National Population Commission to ensure peaceful conduct of the headcount by providing enough security personnel in places where their officials will work,” he said.
