The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Sunday, advised humanitarian agencies in Borno to be cautious in employing security guards in order not to pick Boko Haram members.
The state’s NSCDC Commandant, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.
Abdullahi expressed concern about how some NGOs currently providing humanitarian services in the state recruit private security directly from the society without going through proper channel.
He said “already, their are legal security guards agency duly registered with Corporate Affairs Commission. This companies already know the identity of their employees.
“NGOs should avail themselves with information about such registered persons instead of picking unknown persons from the community who they don’t have full knowledge of their identity.
“This ugly trend is not only a threat to them, but to the entire residents and population.
“Boko Haram elements can be mistakenly employed; Who would then hide under the guise of security guards in the NGOs to cause havoc.
“We will not mention any names but the NGOs that are doing it know themselves which has to stop. They should know that remnants of Boko Haram are currently on the trail and they want to employ any available opportunity to cause havoc.”
Abdullahi said the command would soon go after fake NGOs feeding fat on the plight of IDPs.
“It is very crystal clear that some of the NGOs are just using Borno as a shield to acquire funds through third sponsors.
“The command and other relevant security agency will soon go after them and all culprits would be brought to book.
“When we ask some of them what they are doing in Borno, they claim to be giving psycho-social support to IDPs and I always ask them what the psycho social support is all about?.
“We, therefore, urge their sponsors to do some reality checks to know who is working and who is just here in Borno sleeping in big hotels at the detriment of the plight of the IDPs,’’ Abdullahi said.(NAN)
