The NSCDC assistant commandant general in charge of Private Guard Companies (PGCs), Ferdinand Esiegwu, has called for the involvement of private guards in election security.

Mr Esiegwu, who made the call in an interview, disclosed that the corps licenced 1,364 companies from 2003 till date.

“It is believed that in no distant time, private guard companies will be engaged and deployed fully for election duties and recognised as such in their own rights.

“It is an idea whose time has come, not only because of the paucity of regular security agents to cover all nooks and crannies of the country during elections, but because it is the right thing to do in this modern times when you look at other climes,” he said.

Mr Esiegwu said the licenced PGCs belonged to either category A or B as category A licence empowered the holder of such licence to employ 500 guards and above.

“Category B licence holders can only employ less than 500 guards,” he said.

He said the registered PGCs had recruited over two million private guards that had assisted in providing grassroots intelligence reports and security in the country.

“The industry employs and is still employing a large number of youths who ordinarily would have been idle and become potential threats to Nigeria’s security,” he said.

He said the guards had played essential roles in guarding facilities, premises, corporate organisations and patrol, monitoring of critical national assets and infrastructure.

“Simply put, PGCs are of positive impact on the security architecture of the nation,” he said.

The ACG said that from January 2022 till date, the corps had also sealed and sanctioned 127 PGCs for various infractions.

He identified some of the offences as non-renewal of licence, non-compliance with Personal Identification Number registration, change of office addresses, change of office, and uniform without informing the corps, among others.

He further said that the corps had not received any complaint of a PGC paying its staff below the national minimum wage.

“We have however, mediated in the areas of non-payment and delayed payment of salaries of guards and such issues were always resolved amicably for the benefit of all parties.

“Private Guard Companies are trying their best to comply with the guidelines for their operations.

“The corps does not waste time in wielding the big stick wherever and whenever any infraction is perceived, observed or committed,” he said.

(NAN)