By Muhammad Mamman
A former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has criticised the decision to involve the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in VIP protection, insisting the agency neither has the manpower nor the requisite training to undertake such duties.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, Ejiofor argued that the NSCDC’s statutory responsibility is the protection of critical national infrastructure, not personal security for high-profile individuals. He warned that diverting the Corps from its primary mandate could compromise national security.
According to him, “The NSCDC does not have the capacity to protect VIPs. They are not trained for it, they don’t even have the numbers to deploy, and their statutory function is to provide security for critical infrastructure.”
Ejiofor stressed that the growing security challenges across the country demand that agencies focus on their core mandates rather than being overstretched. He urged the government to strengthen existing structures within the police and other specialised units responsible for VIP protection instead of assigning the task to the NSCDC.
Security analysts have echoed similar concerns in recent months, warning that the dilution of agency responsibilities may lead to gaps in national security operations.
Ejiofor called for urgent reforms, enhanced training, and clear delineation of responsibilities across security agencies to ensure improved efficiency and public safety.
