The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has launched a nationwide deployment of advanced tactical equipment aimed at strengthening security operations and protecting critical infrastructure.
Commandant-General Audi Abubakar announced the rollout during the corps’ annual strategic meeting at its national headquarters in Abuja. The meeting brought together heads of formations from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Abubakar described the move as a major shift into a new operational phase focused on closing gaps in surveillance and rapid response.
A wide range of modern tools was handed over to state commanders, including drones for aerial surveillance, GPS tracking devices, and situation room connectivity kits designed to enhance real-time coordination.
Officers also received protective and operational gear such as bulletproof vests, helmets, combat boots, night-vision goggles, body cameras, and pen recorders. The package also includes operational backpacks equipped with solar chargers and mini tablets.
According to Abubakar, the deployment will significantly improve intelligence gathering and response time through centralised monitoring systems.
“These gadgets are provided to ensure effective discharge of duties. In this new strategic phase, the corps is deploying advanced technological tools to address insecurity, combat banditry, and tackle illegal mining and logging,” he said.
The NSCDC boss, whose tenure was recently renewed by President Bola Tinubu, said the extension signals a mandate to deepen reforms and improve operational efficiency.
He added that recent leadership efforts have addressed welfare challenges, including unpaid salary arrears and delayed promotions, boosting morale among personnel.
Abubakar, however, issued a stern warning against misuse of the equipment, stressing that all tools must be used strictly for official purposes, with violations attracting severe sanctions.
Highlighting recent successes, he noted that the corps has destroyed over 400 illegal refineries and arrested suspects involved in smuggling and illegal mining.
He said the new deployment would further strengthen specialised units such as the Agro Rangers, which are critical to protecting agricultural investments and tackling rural insecurity.
Abubakar also emphasised the importance of intelligence sharing and inter-agency collaboration, noting that integrating drone and body camera data into a central system will improve coordination in addressing infrastructure vandalism nationwide.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
