By Kelechi Ogunleye
Abuja, Jan. 8, 2026
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has formally decorated 113 senior officers elevated to the rank of Commandant of Corps (CC), a significant milestone in the organization’s human resource development. The ceremony, presided over by the Commandant-General, Dr. Ahmed Audi, at the Corps National Headquarters in Abuja, was not merely a celebratory event but a platform for issuing critical directives on ethics and operational integrity.
In a move that underscores a shift towards merit-based and strategic deployment, Dr. Audi delivered a firm warning to the newly promoted officers against the entrenched practice of lobbying for preferred postings. He emphasized that their official postings would be communicated imminently and must be accepted without external influence or pressure. “Do not lobby for postings. Accept wherever you are posted because you do not know what God has planned for you,” he stated, framing compliance as both a professional duty and a matter of faith. This directive aims to dismantle patronage networks that can compromise operational efficiency and equitable resource distribution across the corps’ national formations.
The 113 officers represent a subset of a much larger promotion exercise conducted in December 2025 by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), which saw 5,859 personnel advance in rank. Dr. Audi contextualized this, noting that these promotions have increased the number of Commandants in the NSCDC to over 300, within a total workforce of approximately 63,000 personnel. He highlighted the transformative impact of his administration on career progression, recalling an era where personnel could stagnate in a single rank for over a decade—a situation that severely dampened morale and institutional loyalty.
With the new rank comes heightened responsibility. The Commandant-General charged the officers to become exemplars of discipline and proactive problem-solvers. “It is your hard work, commitment and loyalty that earned you this promotion… your conduct must continue to reflect discipline,” he urged, directly linking past performance to future expectations. He warned unequivocally against indiscipline, stressing the need for composure and innovative thinking in tackling the nation’s complex security landscape.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, represented by the CDCFIB Secretary, retired Maj.-Gen. Abdulmalik Jubril, reinforced the strategic importance of the promotions. He framed them as a essential tool for boosting morale and enhancing operational capacity amidst escalating security challenges. The Minister pointed to ongoing recruitment drives as a parallel effort to fortify the NSCDC’s manpower. He specifically tasked the newly decorated Commandants to redouble their efforts in critical domains, including the protection of Very Important Persons (VIPs), and to justify the government’s investment in their careers.
In a response on behalf of the promoted cohort, Commandant Hussaini Pama expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, the Minister, the CDCFIB, and the Commandant-General. Acknowledging that the elevation brings “added responsibilities,” Pama pledged that it would serve as a catalyst for improved performance and a renewed commitment to the NSCDC’s core mandate of safeguarding lives and national critical assets.
This decoration ceremony, therefore, transcends a routine administrative event. It signals a deliberate push by the NSCDC leadership to foster a culture of meritocracy, discipline, and strategic deployment, aiming to build a more resilient and effective security agency capable of meeting contemporary threats.
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
Source: NAN
