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The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Cross River State Command, Okarazu Chima, has warned personnel to uphold the rule of law or face sanctions, declaring an end to avoidable legal errors and rights abuses in the Command.
Chima gave the warning in Calabar during a two-day intensive training on criminal justice administration and human rights compliance for officers of the Command.
The training, organized by the Director of Legal Services of the Corps, Aminu Kayode Alilu, was held at the State Headquarters and drew principal officers of the command.
Chima described the workshop as timely and indispensable to operational effectiveness, noting that modern security operations must be intelligence-driven and law-compliant.
He thanked the Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, for prioritizing legal capacity development and for deploying the Legal Director to train the Cross River Command.
“We will no longer tolerate avoidable legal errors capable of causing unnecessary litigation or infringement of citizens’ rights. Every officer must operate within the confines of the law,” Chima warned.
He charged officers to translate the knowledge gained into improved performance in investigation, arrest and detention procedures, stressing that professionalism and discipline remain the bedrock of the Corps.
Facilitating the training, Alilu drilled participants on the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and other legal frameworks governing law enforcement, covering effective criminal investigations, lawful arrests, proper handling of suspects and successful prosecution.
Alilu warned that disregard for due process during arrests, interrogations and detention could collapse prosecutions, expose the Corps to costly litigation and violate citizens’ fundamental rights.
“Effective security operations must be conducted within the confines of the law. Professionalism, accountability and respect for human dignity are non-negotiable,” Alilu stressed.
The workshop featured interactive sessions, practical case studies and question-and-answer engagements on field challenges confronting officers in the line of duty.
