Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps,NSCDC, Abdullahi Gana, says the agency plans to recruit an additional 3,500 personnel in 2017.

Gana, who made this known on Wednesday while presenting NSCDC’s 2017 budget of N61.4 billion before the House of Representatives Committee on Interior in Abuja, said this is to enable the corps meet the demands from some MDA’s.

The MDA’s included the Ministries of Solid Minerals, Agriculture and Rural Development, Water Resources, Nigeria Railways Corporation and the protection of lives and property in the Northeast region.

Gana said the recruitment would cost N2 billion and urged the committee to appropriate more fund to the organisation.

He said the corps was facing operational as well as accommodation challenges which requires urgent attention.

The commander general, however, commended some states government that have been very supportive of the agency’s effort of securing lives and property across the country.