The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Sokoto State Command, under the leadership of Commandant UI Alfadarai, fdc, MFR, actively participated and made a formal submission at the North-West Zonal Public Hearing on the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The public hearing, organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Review and chaired by Rt. Hon. Sala Soli Jibia, provided a democratic platform for stakeholders from across the North-West Zone (Centre B) to contribute meaningfully to the proposed amendments to the Nigerian Constitution.

Speaking on behalf of the Commandant General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, the State Commandant expressed appreciation to the Committee for creating an inclusive forum for institutional contributions to national development and governance reforms.

The Command presented a comprehensive memorandum advocating for the inclusion of the NSCDC in the Constitution. The submission emphasized that constitutional recognition would:

1. Resolve existing ambiguities about the Corps’ mandate;
2. Enhance inter-agency collaboration;
3. Provide legal and institutional protection for officers in the discharge of their duties;
4. Strengthen the Corps’ role in Nigeria’s internal security and emergency management architecture.

The Command further highlighted the need for constitutional recognition of the Corps’ core statutory functions, including:

1. Protection of critical national assets and infrastructure;
2. Regulation and monitoring of private guard companies;
3. Protection offered disaster-prone and conflict-affected areas;
4. Crisis prevention, management, and resolution.

On the issue of State Police, the Corps urged the Committee to prioritize the strengthening of existing law enforcement agencies and to develop clear constitutional frameworks for inter-agency coordination and collaborative protocols.

Additionally, the Corps proposed the constitutional integration of the Safe School Initiative, in line with Nigeria’s commitment to the global declaration on the protection of education from attack.

The NSCDC also recommended constitutional recognition of Traditional Institutions, empowering them to play a more defined and active role in local security and community well-being.

Finally, the Corps called for the amendment of Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to expressly include the NSCDC as a constitutionally recognized security agency.

The public hearing took place on Saturday, 26th July, 2025, at 1000 hours, at the Sokoto Conference Centre, Kasarawa, Sokoto State.

The Sokoto State Command of the NSCDC remains fully committed to the promotion of national security, constitutional governance, and institutional reforms that reflect Nigeria’s evolving security needs.