The Gombe State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps says it has recorded numerous successes in tackling crime and criminality in the state.
Gombe State Commandant in North-East Nigeria, Mr. Waziri Baba Goni, told Voice of Nigeria in Gombe that the organisation had arrested and detained suspects in cases of kidnapping, banditry, child prostitution gang and the curtailing of Kalare Gang activities within the state.
Mr. Goni said the Gombe Command of the Civil Defence Corps had a formidable force in the counter-terrorism team, Special Weapons and Tactics, SWAT, the Arms Squad, as well as the Agro Rangers, who had identified the operational base of the kidnappers and mounted surveillance on them.
Mr. Goni said the successes recorded covered serious vices and criminalities and had helped in reducing kidnap cases, with the arrest and parading of their gang leaders, who were now in detention and undergoing investigations.
Herders/Bandits
He said the Civil Defence had recently arrested suspected cattle rustlers, who were fond of killing herders and had handed over the rustled cows back to their owners, while the suspects had been charged to court and will remain incarcerated in correctional centres.
The Commandant of the Civil Defence Corps in Gombe State said all cases brought before the corps are treated with urgency because he and the senior officers also supervised cases being treated to ensure their quick dispensation.
According to Mr. Goni, the corps does not treat lightly the issue of taking bribes among the officers and men of the corps, such that whoever is caught is served with punitive measures.
He says the Civil Defence Corps in Gombe State has enough manpower to carry out its functions effectively, with the recent recruitment and deployment of 173 more officers to the Gombe Command.
“We have enough personnel to cater for the security needs of the state for now. All the local governments, we have Dos, we have the personnel, we have Intelligence Officers, we have Arms Squad, apart from the ones on Mobile Extension of the Arms Unit. We have them in the local governments” Mr. Goni said.
He called on the people of Gombe State to pray very hard for a conducive environment for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the 2023 elections, particularly by being vigilant and reporting any abnormal activities around their area.
Mr. Goni gave the assurances that the anonymity of anybody reporting any case will be protected, as it is the nature of the organisation to do so, saying the doors of the Civil Defence Corps are ever opened round the clock for information sharing.
On the issue of Kalare Thugs, Mr. Goni said the Civil Defence had apportioned a Special Force to deal with the menace, which, according to him, has since brought the number to about 5%, from 100%.
He said that had been achieved through night raids and patrols, which have dislodged the Kalare Boys and sent them to jail through.
The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Gombe also commended the strong collaboration between the Civil Defence Corps and the various communities, especially with parents and community leaders within Gombe State in terms of controlling crime and criminality.
He also said such strong collaboration with sister security agencies had led to the return of normalcy in the Nyuwar community in Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Mr. Goni commended the efforts of the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, for being proactive in providing the needed facilities for the smooth operation of its officers and men around the country, including the provision of ambulances for emergencies.
