Nigeria’s progress and prosperity depend heavily on the uninterrupted operation of its vital infrastructures like power plants, transportation networks, communication systems and water treatment facilities hence the need to protect them.
This view was expressed on Tuesday by the Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo State Command, Agun Gbenga, at a stakeholders’ meeting on ‘Collaboratory Protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI)’, organised by the state command and attended by other sister security agencies, representatives of telecommunication companies, the Benin Electricity and Distribution Company, (BEDC) the Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN) community leaders, among others.
Underscoring the imperative for a collective effort in the protection of the nation’s assets, Gbenga described the theme of the programme as timely, lamenting that “these assets are not without risk, threats, both internal and external”.
While emphasising that “It is our duty as guidance of these assets to stay ahead of these threats and ensure the continuity of our nation’s essential services,” the NSCDC commandant warned that “cyber attacks, terrorism, sabotage, and other malicious activities pose significant challenges to the security and resilience of our critical infrastructure”.
He however expressed confidence that “our collective efforts will yield significant benefits for our great state.”
On his part, DCC Sule Muhammad, the Head of Department, CNAI, NSCDC, Edo State Command, emphasised the need for regular and adequate surveillance of the country’s critical infrastructure.
For his part, David Aghedo, a retired Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Security Officer (CSO) at BEDC, who lamented that “vandalism is the most common threat to our operations,” disclosed that “people who carry out this act of vandalism are enlightened and the well-read ones, and not the common man.”
Also speaking, Engineer Matthew Ariyibi, Assistant General Manager, TSN, Benin Region, said “the activities of scavengers pose threats to our operations,” warning, “don’t erect any shop under our towers; it is for our own safety.”
