Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps

The federal government, Friday, ordered the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to take over the protection of transmission lines and towers.

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo made this remark during the passing out parade of the second batch of mining marshals of NSCDC in Abuja. Expressing deep concern over the constant vandalism of transmission lines, towers and transformers, Tunji-Ojo described the oft-repeated vandalism of the critical national assets as economic sabotage, which must be dealt with.

“We will take it sector by sector. We will protect the power sector. We will secure the energy sector. I challenge you to rise up and protect the critical national assets of Nigeria. The rate of vandalism and economic sabotage going on in our transmission lines needs to be looked into. I will give you the leadership. It is not acceptable to destroy power assets. Today is an opportunity to solve tomorrow’s problem,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake acknowledged that the revenue in the mineral sector has improved after the introduction of NSCDC Mining Marshals.

Alake, who was represented by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr. Mary Adah Ogbe, warned miners to formalise their operations or face the law.

He said that the illegal operations of the miners cause land degradation.

In his remarks, the Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi stated that the nation’s security especially the mining sector is being threatened by the nefarious activities of illegal miners, bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, etc, a situation that has led to a major setback in the development of the country’s otherwise very lucrative mining sector which is very critical to the country’s socio-economic development.