The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has disbursed over ₦1 billion in compensation to families of personnel who died or sustained injuries in the line of duty within the last two years.
The Commandant General of the Corps, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, disclosed this on Monday during an operational visit to the NSCDC command in Ondo State.
Audi said the payment, made through the government’s insurance benefit scheme, was based on rank and formed part of efforts to improve the welfare of personnel involved in operational activities across the country.
He said that the compensation covered both officers who lost their lives and those who suffered severe injuries, including amputations.
According to him, “So far, within the period of two years, the government has paid over ₦1 billion to our staff who were either killed or injured during operational activities nationwide.
“Some we lost, while others were injured to the extent that one or two of their limbs were amputated.”
The NSCDC boss explained that the government approved the funds to compensate affected personnel and the next of kin of those who died in service.
“Even last month, we paid certain staff who were shot during operations, and many of them are from the North-East region. Some of those who had limbs amputated—either arms or legs—were provided with artificial limbs,” he said.
Audi attributed most of the casualties to ambush attacks on NSCDC operatives but assured that new operational strategies had been developed to minimize risks.
He said, “If you trace the antecedents of ambushes worldwide, they always record some casualties.
However, we have now developed strategies on how to manage such incidents, and when we find ourselves in an ambush, we know what to do.”
He commended President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for supporting the welfare initiative, noting that the gesture would motivate officers to remain committed to national service.
Audi also said he had visited 29 state commands across the country to interact directly with officers and address their concerns.
He explained that his visit to the Ondo command was to encourage personnel and assure them that the government remained committed to their welfare.
“The visit is to encourage our personnel not to lose hope in providing security and safety for critical national assets and infrastructure,” he said. “I feel grieved whenever we lose personnel, and my presence here is to reassure them that the government will not deprive them of their entitlements.”