The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has commenced a two-day capacity-building programme for its Female Special Force (FSF), with a focus on intelligence-led operations, evidence-based research and strategic responses to emerging security threats.
The workshop, which opened in Abuja on Wednesday, brings together State Commanders and selected officers of the female formation from across the country, particularly to strengthen their capacity to protect Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI).
Flagging off the programme, the NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Audi, said the growing complexity of contemporary security challenges had made the effective participation of women critical to national security.
Audi said sustainable peace could not be achieved without the active involvement of women in security operations, conflict prevention, peacebuilding and intelligence gathering.
He said the initiative aligned with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and the NSCDC Gender Policy, which promote gender mainstreaming, equal opportunities and the tactical integration of women into national security operations.
“Women are not merely beneficiaries of security; they are active contributors to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, intelligence gathering, and national security,” Audi said.
The NSCDC chief assured the Female Special Force of continued institutional support, stressing the need to equip officers with the knowledge and skills required to confront evolving security threats effectively.
The National Commander of the FSF, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) Imonikhe Oluwakemi, said the unit remained committed to strengthening the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure through the deployment of data-driven intelligence.
She said the training would enhance the ability of female officers to convert intelligence and research findings into practical security interventions.
Also speaking, the Head of the Critical Thinking, Research and Innovation Unit (CTRIU), ACC Dr. Ogunshola Folashade, said conventional physical and tactical strength alone was no longer sufficient to address modern security challenges.
According to her, effective contemporary security operations require critical thinking, technological application, strategic intelligence and the capacity to analyse evidence before taking operational decisions.
The workshop attracted goodwill messages from sister security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service and Federal Fire Service, highlighting the importance of inter-agency cooperation in strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.
The event also featured the presentation of performance awards to State Commanders from Benue, Kebbi, Edo and Bayelsa States for their contributions to the Corps’ operational objectives.
The NSCDC said the programme forms part of its broader strategy to build a professional, intelligence-driven and gender-responsive security force capable of confronting Nigeria’s evolving security threats.
