The People’s Security Monitor has conferred the NSCDC Outstanding Commandant of the Year 2025 award on the Edo State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Akintayo Saidi Ayinla, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and operational achievements.

The award ceremony took place on Thursday at the Edo State NSCDC Command headquarters and was attended by senior officers of the corps and other invited guests.

Speaking at the event, Isiaka Mustapha of People’s Security Monitor described the gathering as a celebration of excellence, integrity, and dedicated service, noting that the award followed a careful and objective assessment of performances across commands nationwide.

Mustapha stated that since assuming command in Edo State, Ayinla has distinguished himself through clear strategic direction, operational discipline, and strong commitment to the core mandate of the NSCDC, particularly in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure.

He noted that under Ayinla’s leadership, security around power installations, public utilities, telecommunication facilities, and other strategic assets improved significantly through enhanced surveillance, proactive deployment, and effective inter-agency collaboration.

According to him, these measures led to a noticeable reduction in vandalism, sabotage, and theft of public assets, saving government substantial resources and ensuring uninterrupted service delivery to the people of Edo State.

The People’s Security Monitor also commended the Edo Command for sustained enforcement actions against illegal scrap dealers and criminal networks, as well as reforms introduced to sanitise mining activities and improve compliance, accountability, and revenue generation.

Beyond operational achievements, Ayinla was praised for prioritising the welfare, training, and morale of officers and men, a move that has strengthened discipline, professionalism, and productivity within the Edo State Command.

In his acceptance speech, Adetayo Saidi Ayinla thanked the officers and men of the command for their dedication and teamwork, and expressed gratitude to Ahmed Abubakar Audi for the trust reposed in him and for providing an enabling environment that supported his success in Edo State.