A civil society pressure group, Coalition of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Good Governance in Nigeria (COCMECG), Thursday in Abuja  urged Nigerians to rise in spport of  the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), under the leadership of Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu.

COCMEGG maintained that the NSCDC boss since assuming office has initiated policies leading to the giant strides in human capacity development,  establishing core value of integrity, intelligence based  security response system and professionalism.

These outputs  have resulted reducing the menace of criminals, herdsmen and the vandalisation of national assets across the country, affirmed Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele and Comrade Omede Charles, respectively President and  Executive Director, R&D of the Coalition in a press statement issued in Abuja.

"There is rapid improvement in disaster management as first responders to disaster occurrence and control which has helped the country to curb the high incidence of disasters and other security challenges", the group stated stressing that they are encouraged by Muhammadu's leadership style and more  importantly, his remarkable and selfless campaign on disaster management, search and rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration, mitigation and the protection of key national assets and infrastructure across the county.

" In his avowed determination and commitment to ride the country of vandalism and criminal elements it has deployed officers to secure schools in the Northeast region as a result of the insurgency and also deployed officers to provide and protect physical security for agro-allied investments both domestic and international and the proposed cattle ranches across the country including herdsmen/famers frequent crisis which has attracted commendations from Nigerians including Mr. President.

"We commend also the Hon. Minister of Interior, Lt Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazua for his supervisory role of propelling the needed change and unveiling the master plan for the proactive results so far achieved." opined the Coalition

It further remarked that Gana Muhammadu is a key asset in this administration fight against insurgency and criminals and as such should be commended for modernizing and repositioning of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for professionalism and effective service delivery in line with  President Muhammadu Buhari’s change mantra through dynamic and innovative  security policy framework based on intelligence, upgrading and expansion of critical infrastructures, training and retraining of officers, enhanced collaborations with sister agencies, robust public relations for the service and enhancing the Civil Defence Academy Sauka, College of  Peace and Disaster Management Katsina and the College of Security Management, Ogun State and a member of the International Civil Defence Organization(ICDO), an umbrella body of 58 Civil Defence Member countries in Switzerland, Geneva.

"Muhammadu, through his policy directions and focus, reveals his indepth understanding of the  mandate of NSCDC, which includes protecting critical infrastructures and national assets; regulating, training, monitoring, supervising licensing of the Private Guards Company, carrying out disaster management through search, rescue, rehabilitation and mitigation, conflict resolution through Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR), giving early warning alert signals to residence of areas discovered to be prone to disaster and reporting to the government and appropriate authority for relocation of the settlers.

" Nigerians should therefore join hands with the management to reinvigorate the fighting mechanism against vandals and criminals in the country and the protection of IDP’s at various camps put in place by the proactive leadership. We are appealing to organizations, public spirited individuals to support President Buhari’s drive to modernize the NSCDC through adequate support, funding and partnership in the area of manpower development, capacity building and the purchase of equipment and infrastructures because of its strategic importance to the socio-economic development of a nation like ours", COCMEGG maintained.