Both the government and Lagosians have been assured of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,NSCDC, commitment to protect all civilians and civil spaces, from all forms of crimes and criminalities that may be organised, to cause high volatility and complexity such as armed conflict and others.

Its Lagos State Commandant, Usman Alfadarai, gave the assurance at the State Command’s Headquarters, in Ikeja, when executives, of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, CISLAC, led, by its Programs Co-ordinator, Peace and Security, Bertha Ogbimi.

Ogbimi signed, a pact with Commandant Alfadarai, to ensure adequate protection of civilians, before or whenever social, socio-economic, political and psychological issues and so on escalate, to a full blown crisis.

Following the mutual understanding between the Corps and the Center, capacity building has been keenly noted, as parts of the most potent strategies, that can be deployed, to strengthen Advocacy, Accountability and Local Engagement towards improving Early Warning and Early Response Mechanisms, to enhance protection of Civilians in Nigeria.

Alfadarai also made necessary responsive and humanitarian arrangements, to ensure the full participation of the Corps in the one-day capacity building workshop of CISLAC, scheduled, holding eleventh May at Ikeja, GRA.

The workshop is expected, to gather field experts, to conduct training and build capacity of relevant stakeholders, including the NSCDC, across levels to advance good practices that will further aid reduction in violence and conflict in Nigeria.

According to CISLAC, the collaboration between the Corps and the Centre, in Lagos was to achieve but not limited to the followings; improve Coordination, Collaboration and Communication among civilians and Security, Institutions, to better improve protection of civilians in the State and Nigeria.

Other notable purposes include, to support the activities of Early Warning Community Observers, who will be trained, to engage, monitor and report Early Warning threat signals under the project, through active participation in Early Response, as activities unfold in the state.

Own the Early Warning and Early Response system, by leveraging verifiable information and data that will be generated in Early Detection and Early Warning effort to prevent or de-escalate crises.

Alfadarai re-assures the teeming populace of the Corps’ historical and continuous responsibility, in the protection of lives and property of civilians, since its establishment.

He also seized the opportunity, to appreciate the CISLAC group, for their proactive measures, in identifying early signs of insecurity and key solutions, to mitigating the challenges that may attempt to overwhelm communities and the society at large.

Having recommended, amongst others more capacity building exercises, he also further promised to draft strategies that will prevent full blown crisis, which often cause heavy casualties, increase in mortalities, injuries, loss of innocent lives and destruction of valuable property.