NSCDC boss hails retiring ACG for decades of service

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi, on Tuesday commended retiring Assistant Commandant General Hammed Abodunrin for his decades of service, describing his career as one defined by dedication, innovation, and institutional development.

He spoke at the book launch and send-off ceremony held in Abuja, where Deputy Commandant General (Technical Services), Zakari Ibrahim, represented him.

In the address, Audi said Abodunrin distinguished himself as a committed officer whose work strengthened training, operations and internal reforms within the Corps.

He said, “Today is not just a day of goodbye. It is a day of gratitude. It is a day to celebrate a man who took the badge of this corps and wore it as a symbol of service. I speak of none other than Assistant Commandant General Hammed Abodunrin.”

He noted that the former commander of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre earned a reputation for discipline and operational effectiveness during his postings across several states, adding that his initiatives expanded the corps’ capacity in key areas such as training, marine operations, and community security engagement.

According to him, “When he was the commandant in Ogun State, he ensured well-equipped personnel through training programmes.

“When I posted him to Ondo State, he established the first NSCDC Marine Unit, showing that civil defence must also cover waterways.”

Audi also highlighted other initiatives credited to the retiring ACG, including the establishment of canine and mounted units, grievance resolution structures, and environmental and airport security support operations.

The CG further said Abodunrin’s consistency earned him repeated recognition within the corps.

“For three consecutive times, he bagged the best state commandant award,” he said, adding that his contributions were acknowledged by the late Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, who described him as a security expert whose efforts improved peace in the state.

He also noted Abodunrin’s intellectual contributions, citing his authorship of several security-related books aimed at improving professional practice within the Corps.

He said, “He has authored books on Public Relations in Security Operations; From Voluntary to Mandatory Service (history of NSCDC); Daily Security Tips for States Commandants; Paramilitary Ethics, among others.

“An officer who does not read, write, and reflect is an officer who stops growing.”

Abodunrin, in his remarks, reflected on his early training experiences and the evolution of the corps, recalling basic orientation courses and field exercises that shaped his career.

The celebrant said, “During the residential training, we called it a basic orientation course. After about 15 days in 1998, the course was upgraded to a basic officer’s course.”

He also recounted field training experiences and operational challenges, noting that early reforms in the Corps often met resistance but ultimately strengthened its mandate.

The former commander, NSSRCC, added that documenting the history of the corps was necessary to preserve institutional memory, saying, “We have to document something because people don’t know what we went through before getting to this stage.”

The retiring officer stressed the importance of public security education as a core mandate of the NSCDC, arguing that preventive awareness should be strengthened across communities to reduce insecurity.

He said effective security practice should not rely solely on enforcement but on citizen awareness and participation, noting that informed members of the public could significantly reduce crime reporting gaps and improve response time for security agencies.

He drew comparisons with other countries, saying security awareness is institutionalised in places like Singapore, where citizens are regularly exposed to safety education and drills, and in other jurisdictions where surveillance systems and civic reporting culture support law enforcement.

The celebrant said, “Globally, what civil defence does all over the world is public security education. That is their major area. So I think we have to develop that one in Nigeria.”

Abodunrin added that security education should not just be made compulsory but made practical and attractive enough for citizens to understand its importance in daily life.

He said, “It is not about making it compulsory. It is about making it attractive and making it attractive in such a way that people will know that knowing about their own security is as important as eating food.”

He further warned that “weak public awareness undermines security efforts,” noting that even basic situations often expose poor situational awareness among citizens.

He also advised officers of the Corps to remain committed to professionalism and integrity after retirement, urging them to continue doing the right thing regardless of circumstances.