How the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps is Becoming the Best Part of our Law Enforcement/Security System

Domestically there are always indications of those who would seek to harm Nigeria's citizens, resources and properties. As such, the continued work by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in these areas remains not only unique and novel, but without equal within and across the security and law enforcement bodies in the country. The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence's preventive force and forensic behavioral science amenities exhibit positive implications for the Nigerian system of law enforcement and security

In reality and in accordance to standard operational definition of law enforcement systems, among other agencies, the actual agencies are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Nigeria Police Force(NPF), and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Unlike the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Nigeria Police Force, which by definition are mainly response-based and deal with the after effects in their functions, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps uniquely and systematically stands out for the prevention and quick intervention in matters of national threats, domestic dangers, and targeted security terrorizations.

As such, it was quite refreshing news when the Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps recently announced that preventing electoral threats or violence through specific forensic psychological practices, behavioral methodologies, and the use of service dogs would all be employed to assist in preventing , obstructing and eliminating any form of electoral violence.

The NSCDC with its exemplary professional mindset, given the historical failures and troubled state of our other law enforcement/security agencies, is needed more than ever in the areas of general threat assessment, property threat assessment, and internal cyber terrorism assessment, all for the purpose to aid in adverting mass security hazards.

Also in its position as an active shooter response organization, the NSCDC remains aware that shooting situations are often unpredictable and involve the need for a quick response, and therefore have been equipped with forensic psychological services to better assist its staff in adequately identifying the precursors to violence and recognizing the interventions that could help in the prevention of potentially violent environments.

NSCDC is also in a position to make use of the benefit of evidence-based approaches to its work as it relates to assessment and preventing violence in schools, workplaces and communities, as well as in bomb-making situations.

As a valuable enforcement and security body in the country, it could become the center of a modern forensic behavioral facility for the purpose of studying pre-attack behaviors, the behaviors of past assailants, and for training/consulting with other law enforcement professionals who evaluate threats and are involved in security work.

NSCDC's determination to be the first agency to actually inculcate American-styled forensic psychological assessment, training, intervention and development strategies will not only enhance the process of thinking and behavior among its men and women in terms of personnel selection and promotion, but will add a whole new approach when looking at national security.

NSCDC seems to be deliberately staying clear from longstanding concerns about all the bad things and bad habits happening in the EFCC which, if truth be told, is realistically still an extension of our almost-failed police force. The EFCC is just dressed with a different name.
By engaging forensic behavioral science in its organization, it is better able to provide the necessary knowledge, tools, and support vital to better prepare its membership to handle crisis in traumatic and other types of hazardous situations.

As part of its ethical commitment, the NSCDC should not seek out money-hungry specialists to expertly address behaviorally-based security issues with locally instituted seminars, training and networking.

In a more helpful manner, the NSCDC's forensic behavioral facility could be called on to intervene in the lives of troubled officers and personnel who are struggling with personal or family conflicts, in addition to others about whom the organization is worried, and to some extent, the forensic behavioral facility could become helpful in potentially predicting when someone might become dangerous.

In responding to terrorist threats, the NSCDC, with its desire for an organizational atmosphere marked with state-of-the-art thinking, stands out as the one to disrupt and defeat terrorist operations.

The NSCDC, given its preventive and interventional roles, should have a personnel presence at every public school ranging from elementary schools and secondary schools to all higher institutions, including private schools that currently must pay for such security personnel presence.

With all NSCDC's personnel fully oriented in behavioral training, they will be able to quickly recognize, assess, and manage situations that involve mental health-related disturbances among students, especially the violent types. In such cases, they will be able to quickly interrupt any potential pathway to violence until the individual sees a certified psychologist with post graduate education for therapy, and, if needed, further referred on to a psychiatrist if medication is warranted.

As it stands now, the NSCDC is far ahead all of the law enforcement and security agencies in terms of forensic and behavioral developments. It will be in the public's best interest to use its forensic psychological specialist to train vigilantes and security agencies' personnel through psychological screening, in terms of identifying applicants who are ethical, have good conduct, and are able to handle critical incidents, for the sake of public safety.

The NSCDC now stands out as having been able to help with actual hostage-taking situations using containment tactics and negotiation strategies to resolve the crisis, and other forms of lifesaving situations.

With the challenges faced by our law enforcement and justice system in terms of better serving the people and helping to secure our nation with contemporary forensic, investigative and behavioral strategies with regard to fighting various forms of threats and horrors, we need a law enforcement/security body that is prepared, literally and figuratively, to stand up for the hopes, values, and interests of a growing democratic nation. And that organization is the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps which is fast becoming the well-established agency for public safety in our national psychology.

Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist, a Consultant in National Psychology, and a former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association. [email protected]