The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, has called for a shift from ad-hoc and reactive approaches to the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) to a standardised, intelligence-led and technology-driven operational doctrine.
Odumosu made the call while declaring closed a two-day intensive training on the Doctrinal Ownership of Protecting Critical National Assets and Infrastructure for Area Commanders, Divisional Officers and other personnel at the FCT Command Headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement signed by the FCT Command’s Corporate Development and Public Relations Officer, DSC Monica Ojobi on Friday, the Commandant said the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure should be regarded as a national duty rather than merely an operational assignment.
Speaking through the Command’s Second-in-Command, DCC Tijani Usman, who represented him at the event, Odumosu noted that facilities such as power grids, pipelines, railways, telecommunications infrastructure, water treatment plants, airports and government institutions form the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, governance and national security.
He warned that vandalism, sabotage or compromise of such infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences, including disruptions to healthcare and education services, loss of business productivity and erosion of public confidence.
“Doctrinal ownership requires the protection of CNAI to move from fragmented and reactive practices to a deliberate, standardised and professionally owned system in which every officer and relevant stakeholder understands, believes in and implements the established security doctrine,” he said.
The Commandant identified four major pillars for effective protection of critical national assets: prevention through intelligence, physical security and technology integration, stakeholder synergy and collaboration, as well as prosecution and deterrence.
On intelligence gathering, Odumosu emphasised the need for early warning systems, community engagement, private security intelligence and technical surveillance to identify threats before they materialise.
He also called for greater integration of modern technology into physical security operations, noting that conventional security measures such as gates, fences and patrols must be complemented with CCTV systems, sensors, drones and digital incident-reporting platforms to address emerging security threats.
Odumosu stressed that the NSCDC could not protect the nation’s critical infrastructure in isolation, urging asset owners, private security companies, host communities and other security agencies to strengthen collaboration, information sharing and coordinated responses.
He further underscored the importance of effective prosecution and deterrence, warning that arrests without prosecution could weaken efforts to curb vandalism and other infrastructure-related crimes.
The Commandant called for sustained cooperation among relevant agencies, including the judiciary, to ensure that offenders are prosecuted in accordance with the law and that appropriate penalties are imposed where necessary.
Speaking on the telecommunications sector, Odumosu described telecommunications infrastructure as the “central nervous system” of modern society, enabling communication, commerce, innovation and the continued operation of other critical sectors, including power, transportation, oil and gas, finance and national security.
He expressed concern over the increasing damage to fibre-optic infrastructure and its potential implications for the Federal Government’s digital transformation objectives.
Odumosu reaffirmed the commitment of the NSCDC, as the lead agency responsible for protecting Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, to developing and implementing practical, risk-based and intelligence-led security frameworks to prevent avoidable damage to telecommunications facilities and strengthen their resilience.
He said the training exposed participants to key areas, including the designation of information infrastructure as Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, intelligence gathering, surveillance-driven patrols to mitigate vandalism in the FCT, handling of suspects, legal procedures and preservation of exhibits.
The Commandant urged participants to take full advantage of the training by actively engaging facilitators, asking questions and sharing operational experiences.
He reminded them that their responsibilities went beyond guarding physical structures, describing them as guardians of national continuity.
Odumosu urged the officers to return to their respective formations and operational areas with a renewed commitment to building a culture in which the protection of national infrastructure is regarded as a collective responsibility.
Highlights of the two-day intensive training included the presentation of gifts and certificates to participants.