The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Audi, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to personnel welfare, with the payment of N87.45 million in Group Life Insurance benefits to beneficiaries of deceased personnel.
Audi said the welfare, safety and protection of officers and men remained a priority, stressing that personnel who risk their lives in the service of the nation deserved adequate institutional support and protection for their families.
He stated this at the opening of a three-day sensitisation programme for NSCDC insurance desk officers and personnel on the onboarding of officers onto the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS), organised in collaboration with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
The Commandant-General, represented by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Technical Services, DCG Zakari Ibrahim Ningi, said the initiative was aimed at strengthening social protection for personnel exposed to occupational hazards in the course of their duties.
He noted that the NSCDC played a critical role in Nigeria’s internal security architecture, with responsibilities covering the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, safeguarding lives and property, disaster management and emergency response.
According to him, these responsibilities expose personnel to injuries, occupational diseases, disabilities and other risks, making comprehensive insurance and welfare arrangements necessary.
Audi described the Employees’ Compensation Scheme as an important social protection intervention that provides compensation to workers who suffer work-related injuries, disabilities, occupational diseases or death in the course of employment.
He said the scheme would provide an additional layer of protection for NSCDC personnel and their families while reinforcing the government’s responsibility to safeguard those entrusted with protecting the nation.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of NSITF, Barr. Oluwaseun Faleye, commended Audi for prioritising personnel welfare, noting that the Corps had demonstrated sustained commitment to implementing the scheme in collaboration with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation since 2024.
Faleye said the partnership reflected growing institutional recognition of the need to protect public servants against the financial and social consequences of workplace-related risks.
Earlier, the Deputy Commandant in charge of the NSCDC Insurance Unit, Dr. Jimoh Abiola, described the sensitisation and onboarding exercise as timely and strategic.
She said the training would improve participants’ understanding of the scheme, particularly its coverage, eligibility requirements, benefits, obligations and claims procedures.
Abiola explained that the programme was designed as a train-the-trainers initiative, with participants drawn from state commands, zonal commands and the Corps’ National Headquarters.
She urged participants to maximise the opportunity and ensure that the knowledge acquired was effectively disseminated to other personnel across the country.
The programme also featured goodwill messages from representatives of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Cornerstone Insurance Plc and Fengate Insurance Brokers.
As part of the event, cheques totalling N87,455,217 were presented to beneficiaries under the Group Life Insurance scheme. Awards of Excellence were also presented to outstanding personnel and stakeholders in recognition of their contributions to the Corps.
The development highlights the NSCDC leadership’s renewed emphasis on personnel welfare and institutional social protection, particularly as officers continue to undertake high-risk security operations to protect lives, property and critical national infrastructure.
