NSCDC seals 195 illegal private security firms

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps says it sealed the premises of 195 private security companies across the country for allegedly operating illegally in 2013.

This is contained in a statement by the spokesman of the Corps, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.

Okeh said that the corps registered 183 new companies and renewed the licences of 362 existing ones.

He said that N275 million was generated from the registration and renewal exercise, adding that the amount was remitted into the coffers of the Federal Government.

Okeh added that the corps offered free training to about 2,190 personnel of private guards companies, to update them on modern techniques of the job.

'The corps also introduced a biometrics capturing machine to capture the bio-data of all directors of private guard companies.The aim is to tackle the problem of quacks and infiltrators.

'The corps plans to categorise the firms and harmonise the uniform of PGC operatives, such that Category 'A' will have uniform different from category 'B' companies,' Okeh said.

The spokesman said the move was to reposition, restructure and professionalise the industry, in line with the corps' mandate

He urged the operators to enlighten the public on their activitie,s through stakeholders' forum.