The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it has the mandate to manage crisis, focusing on proactive disaster mitigation, rapid response, providing rescue, relief, and rehabilitation services during natural or man-made disasters.
This followed a recent video of a confrontation by unlicenced oil/gas individual businessmen with the personnel of the corps in Ondo state.
DAILY POST recalls that following the mandate of the corps, the management of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the technical and commercial regulator in the Nigerian oil and gas industry approached the Ondo command of NSCDC to collaboratively enforce compliance with safety standards in the gas retail business.
While carrying out this mandatory duty, they were confronted by two individuals who could not produce licence safety clearance by the NMDPRA to operate, but instead, resisted the confiscation of their products
SC Daniel Aidamenbor, Public Relations Officer NSCDC Ondo State Command in a statement said gas is a regulated business, and whoever must deal in the business must obtain a license and safety clearance from the NMDPRA.
“NSCDC does not issue license. Routine check operation for compliance is what we do. A visit to any retail outlet by our officer, the retailer is expected to produce a license issued to him or her by the regulatory body. Failure to produce the license, the scale or cylinder will be confisicated with a directive to go obtain the license.” The statement said
According to the statement, “an attempt to confisticate the scale and cylinder were resisted by both of them.
“This prompted the officers to apply minimal force to get the assignment done.”
Following this, the corps personnel were attacked by the angry suspects, inflicting body injuries
However, the statement further added that, “attacking, inflicting body injury, and obstructing them from carrying out their lawful duty is punishable under the law.
The State Commandant has zero tolerance for unprofessional conduct. He has however directed that a full scale investigation into the incident be carried out while the officers have been recalled to base for debrief. If anyone has evidence of extortion or abuse of power against personnel of the NSCDC in Ondo State.”
NSCDC speaks its on mandates, vows to arrest oil dealers who attacked officers
