The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and Internal Security Management in Nigeria

Abstract

Internal security threat in Nigeria and other parts of the world is a topic of great interest to scholars and other members of the society. In recent years, Nigeria has been experiencing serious incidents of internal security threats, which poses serious danger to Nigeria’s national security and socio-economic development. It is in view of the internal security challenges that the Nigerian government deployed the military in managing them. In spite of the increasing viability of the Nigerian Police and the military to manage the spate of insecurity and threats to lives and properties, the increasing rate of insecurity is alarming. To this end, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been mandated to assist the military in the management of threats to internal security in the country. This chapter not only examines the constitutional role of NSCDC as a paramilitary agency but also analyses its role in internal security management as well as the challenges of NSCDC in performing the task. The chapter concludes that the NSCDC has contributed positively to the management of internal security threats. However, the government needs to improve the recruitment and training process of the Corps in order to enhance their skills in the management of internal security threats.