The Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has opened up on the arrest of an alleged officer of the Corps in Kogi State.
Abdullahi Saidu, who was arrested for kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry in the Koton Karfe area of the state, had claimed he was an NSCDC officer.
But the NSCDC Commandant in Kogi, Suleiman Mafara, while briefing journalists on Monday, said Saidu had already been declared a deserter having abandoned his duty post for the past two weeks.
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“Abdullahi Saidu fingered in kidnapping activities in the state has been declared away without official permission AWOL by the command two weeks before his suspected arrest by the vigilante group in Kogi”, he noted.
The Commandant said the Service rules indicate that personnel who unlawfully exempts himself or herself from duty without cogent reasons has already exited the service.
He disclosed that the command had tried to reach him since the 8th of September, 2021, without success, stressing that the order had since commenced a process of arresting him to face disciplinary actions before the news of his arrest by the state vigilante broke out.
”The NSCDC as a disciplined force will not condone any act of criminality from any member of the corps, adding that the command will ensure that he is brought to face the law,” Mafara said
However, the Commandant called on the public to always give timely and valuable information to the Security agencies to rid the state of undesirable elements, assuring that the corps is committed to protecting lives and property in line with the extant laws of the service.
He urged press members to confirm stories from appropriate security agencies before dishing out information to the public.
Meanwhile, the NSCDC command has arrested an electrical cable thief and an Impostor of the Abuja Electric Distribution Company AEDC, who specialises in defrauding unsuspecting customers in the Lokoja metropolis.
Parading the suspect, the Kogi State Commandant of NSCDC Suleiman Mafara said one Kabir Janaidu, 20, was caught while carting away some electrical equipment belonging to the federal university, Lokoja.
The Commandant noted that on the receipt of the distress call, his operatives swung into action and swiftly arrested the culprit who confessed to the crime.
Similarly, he said, one Abdul Isah, 26, was nabbed after complaints by some customers that the suspect who claimed to be a staff of the AEDC goes about duping them of their hard earn money with the pretence to pay bills and effect repairs for them.
He added that on receipt of the numerous complaints from electricity users in Lokoja, the officer moved swiftly and arrested him.
