Some officers and men of the Nigeria Security
and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) currently
undergoing arms training in Abuja have cried
out over alleged ill-treatment by their
handlers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that about 300 personnel drawn from the
FCT Command of the corps are undergoing
the training at the Civil Defence Academy,
Sauka, Airport Road, Abuja.

NAN learnt that the three-week training
programme, which began on Sunday, is for
officers and men from the rank of Deputy
Commandant (DC) downward.

Some of the trainees, who pleaded
anonymity, told NAN that the buckets,
toiletries and other necessities they took to
camp were confiscated by the officials
without explanation.

One of them said, “when we arrived at the
camp, the officials seized our toiletries,
including soap, disinfectants, detergents,
tissue papers and buckets.

“We don’t know the reason why. They
confiscated those things from us without
giving them back to us for our own use.
“ They only gave us two buckets in a room of
six to seven people. This is causing us serious
personal hygiene and sanitation problems,’’
he said.

Another trainee alleged that they were being
forced to buy the confiscated items from
shops owned by the officials outside camp.
He said that all their complaints to their
superiors had fallen on deaf ears as no
explanation was forthcoming.
“We have complained but nobody is ready to
answer us. In our own case there is a limit to
which you can complain because everything
is an order.

“When you complain too much they tag you
as a rebel and then they court-martial you.
“One of our superiors told us his hands were
tied and that we should comply with
whatever they subject us to,’’ he said.
He said that they learnt from enquiry that
previous trainees were not treated the same
way.

NAN learnt that the allegedly seized items are
not among prohibited items such as knives,
hard drugs, electric irons, stoves, kettles,
bombs, razors, among others.
When contacted, spokesman of the FCT
Command of the NSCDC, Mr David Akinbinu,
dismissed the allegations as fabrications by
the complainants.
“It is not true. If a friend of yours gives you
such information, as a mature person you
should know it is false.

“I went to Sauka by myself this morning
(Thursday) and I saw all of them. We are all
mature men, and I am telling you that story is
not true.

“They are going on holiday, and the
management for safety reasons, asked them
to keep the things in the store and collect
them when they return.
“How did you expect them to be going out
with their buckets and other things?
“What would the management be doing with
their tissue papers? Is it the commandant
that wants to bathe with their soap or take
them to his family?
“People just peddle rumours unnecessarily
because they have access to the press,’’
Akinbinu said.

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