By Kelechi Ogunleye

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has commenced a major infrastructure upgrade at its national headquarters in Abuja, with projects estimated at over N1 billion.

The Commandant-General (C-G) of the corps, Abubakar Audi, performed the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday at the NSCDC Headquarters, Abuja.

Audi said that the projects which included the construction of a befitting entrance gate, a new quarter guard, rehabilitation of internal access roads and installation of solar-powered lighting are to be completed within eight weeks.

He assured that the quality of the projects would be closely monitored and supervised by the corps’ team of professional engineers, architects and builders to ensure they met the required standards.

The commandant general disclosed that the projects would be funded through intervention support rather than the corps’ regular budget.

He described the initiative as part of ongoing efforts to reposition the corps and strengthen its institutional identity.

He said the projects were designed to give the national headquarters a befitting outlook, improve its physical environment and align its facilities with global best practices.

He explained that the infrastructural development formed part of his administration’s four-point agenda of resuscitation, rejuvenation, re-engineering and repositioning.

According to him, the initiative reflects the management’s commitment to institutional renewal through strategic investments in infrastructure, operational capacity and professional standards.

“We want to give the national headquarters a befitting aesthetic look so that it will be in tandem with global best practice.

“The management, through our Tenders Board, has approved the construction of a befitting quarter guard and access roads within the headquarters.”

Audi commended President Bola Tinubu for providing the necessary support and enabling environment for the project implementation.

He reaffirmed the corps’ commitment to protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, particularly against emerging security threats.

He reiterated that Nigeria’s evolving security situation required stronger institutional capacity, effective collaboration and improved operational readiness among security agencies.

He described the NSCDC as a critical component of Nigeria’s internal security architecture, serving as a buffer between the military and other internal security structures.

The C-G also acknowledged the contributions of the military, police, other paramilitary agencies and the intelligence community towards strengthening inter-agency collaboration and national security.

According to him, the NSCDC will continue to leverage on professional expertise and training of the military to improve the competence and operational effectiveness of its personnel.

He said the corps had commenced preparations for the Yuletide period, with overt and covert operations, intelligence gathering and collaboration with relevant security agencies to ensure the safety of Nigerians.

Audi assured Nigerians of the corps’ readiness to support security efforts before, during, and after the Yuletide, as well as ahead of the 2027 general elections.(NAN)

Edited by Deborah Coker