NAVIGATION CIVIL DEFENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:
EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Security has to do with the process connected
with mitigation, assuaging any kind of threat to man and his cherished values. color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:
EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">One may infer that national security has
attracted very little attention among our leaders and academician. Bluntly
speaking, activities of criminals are the major yardstick by which national internal
security could be measured. One of the elements of a society is the presence of
criminals who are minority in number, but they are so toxic that they trouble
the peaceful co-existence of the society. It should be noted that if citizens
are not secure, then the state is not secure. Threats to internal security
amount to the threats to National security. "Times New Roman";color:black;mso-themecolor:text1">

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">There
is no doubt that the major challenge of Nigeria’s national security is the
containment of diverse manifestations of
violence spearheaded by various unknown groups. In contemporary Nigeria this
has stretched the resources, expertise, patience and even the competence of
Nigeria’s security apparatuses to the limit, both individually and
collectively. color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:
EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
(NSCDC) is also an internal paramilitary outfit established by had also been
assigned to play crucial roles in grassroots security system and nation
building. "Times New Roman";color:black;mso-themecolor:text1">The entire national security
of Nigeria is face with myriads of challenges due to the tidal waves of criminal
activities, terrorism, militancy and general insecurity that pose serious
threats to the corporate existence of the country. These challenges and the
incapacitation of the extant security outfits necessitated the conception and
delivery of the child of necessity named Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps in 2003 under President Olusegun Obasanjo supplement the efforts of other
security outfits. color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:
EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">The organization also lack adequate manpower,
modern technological equipment, adequate training and fund. It is disheartening
to state that most Nigerian does not know the constitutional responsibility of
the organization despite the availability of the offices and stations across
states of Nigeria Federation. color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:
EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
roles were specified and demarcated from those of the police, the paramilitary
agencies and the army, navy and the AIR force to prevent roles clashes and
duplications of duties and responsibilities. Since the formation of the corps,
it has performed tremendously in the area of crime prevention. color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:
EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">To address the challenges facing the NSCDC,
Government should also embark on a very thorough and massive recruitment of
able young men and women to address the issue of death of manpower. The lack of
manpower in the state often warrants incessant use of vandalism especially in
rural areas by hoodlums. There is the need to improve the wellbeing of Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps as well as increase their funding to address
the suffering of the Corps.