The house of representatives has passed a resolution to investigate the alleged violation of the federal character principle in recruitment and promotion exercises in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion by Reps Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Dumnamene Dekor.
Leading the debate on the motion, Abiante, the lead sponsor, alleged that the NSCDC has not been observing the federal character principle in its “recruitment, staff quota, and promotion process”.
“Recent reports indicate that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has not been observing the principle of federal character in its recruitment processes thus, marring the corps with irregularities, racketeering, favouritism, and nepotism as well as securing convictions for erring officials,” he said.
“Recent recruitment exercises by the NSCDC were marred with favouritism and abuse of the federal character principle, where the management team used their position and influence in high places of authority to recruit family members, as reported that a recruitment exercise was done without advertisement with over 90 employment letters returned to the headquarters from Imo state as those who were to receive their letters did not show up and that those slots were reported to belong to Rivers state indigenes,” he added
The motion was adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Idris Wase, the presiding officer.
The house subsequently mandated the committees on interior, federal character, and public service matters to investigate the “recruitment, staff quota and promotion exercises carried out by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps over a period of 10 years” and report back within six weeks for further legislative action.
