NSCDC: Personnel Illegal Rifle Sales Nigeria Uncovered by CG’s SIS

• The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered an alleged scheme involving its personnel illegally selling service rifles.
• One incident involved an AK-47 rifle removed from a duty post, transported to Benue, and sold for N700,000, later resold for N800,000.
• A separate investigation revealed a senior officer falsified armoury records to conceal the diversion of two G3 rifles between 2018 and 2024, which were sold to junior personnel and then to a civilian.
• The Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) conducted the investigations, leading to arrests, recovery of weapons, and confessional statements.
• The NSCDC Commandant General has directed the Directorate of Legal Services to immediately institute legal proceedings against all implicated suspects.

The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, has directed the Directorate of Legal Services (DLS) to promptly initiate legal proceedings against all implicated individuals across these various segments in courts of competent jurisdiction.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has recently brought to light an alleged scheme involving the diversion and illegal sale of service rifles by its own personnel. This significant development, announced by NSCDC Spokesperson Babawale Afolabi during a briefing in Abuja, underscores a serious breach of security protocols within the agency. The Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS), under the leadership of Commander Dandaura Appollos, spearheaded the investigations that led to these revelations and subsequent arrests.

One prominent case involved an NSCDC officer stationed at the headquarters, who was implicated in the illicit trade of an AK-47 rifle. Following a shift, the unnamed personnel reportedly failed to return the weapon to the armoury, instead concealing it within two polythene bags. This individual then abandoned their duty post without authorization and transported the firearm to Otukpo in Benue State. Investigations revealed that the AK-47 was subsequently delivered to an accomplice in Otukpo for a sum of N700,000, who then allegedly resold it to an illicit arms buyer, identified as IBB, for N800,000.

In a separate but equally concerning incident, the CG’s SIS uncovered a systematic diversion of two G3 rifles from an NSCDC armoury in Adamawa Command, occurring between 2018 and 2024. A senior officer, who served as the head of armoury during this period, is alleged to have removed these rifles without proper authorization. These weapons were then reportedly sold to junior personnel in two distinct transactions, fetching N210,000 and N220,000 respectively, before ultimately being resold to a civilian. These incidents highlight critical vulnerabilities in the management of sensitive equipment within the NSCDC, pointing to a broader issue of NSCDC personnel illegal rifle sales Nigeria.

The investigations by the Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad revealed concerted efforts by the implicated personnel to conceal their illicit activities. In the case of the missing AK-47, the primary suspect reportedly attempted to obscure the offense when questioned about the weapon's disappearance and allegedly tried to sign out another rifle to cover the tracks. However, the intelligence team, employing a combination of covert tracking, surveillance, and tactical interrogation, successfully apprehended the principal suspects and recovered the AK-47 rifle, dismantling the immediate threat posed by its diversion.

Further scrutiny into the G3 rifle diversion exposed a sophisticated attempt at falsification of armoury records within the NSCDC. To mask the disappearance of the firearms during routine stocktaking, the senior officer allegedly altered weekly armoury records. After an assistant conducted a physical count of available weapons, the officer reportedly handwritten the serial numbers of the missing rifles into the stock records. This deliberate manipulation created a false impression that the firearms remained physically present in the armoury, thereby evading immediate detection.

The intelligence breakthrough achieved by the CG’s SIS in uncovering these patterns of deception led to the recovery of both confessional and other crucial evidentiary statements from key actors involved. This success underscores the corps’ renewed commitment to strengthening armoury accountability and preventing the diversion of service weapons, which could otherwise fall into the hands of criminals, exacerbating illegal arms trafficking Nigeria.

Following the conclusion of internal disciplinary procedures against the errant officers, the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, has taken decisive action. He has directed the Directorate of Legal Services (DLS) to promptly initiate legal proceedings against all implicated individuals across these various segments in courts of competent jurisdiction. This directive signals a firm stance against official misconduct and aims to ensure accountability for the alleged NSCDC arms diversion investigation findings. The upcoming prosecutions by the NSCDC Directorate of Legal Services are expected to address the serious allegations of illegal rifle sales and falsification of armoury records NSCDC.

In a separate but related enforcement effort, the CG’s SIS also intercepted a syndicate involved in telecommunication vandalism. One suspect was apprehended while attempting to abscond with 12 telecommunication panels, which had been vandalized from an equipment cabinet. Investigations revealed that this vandalism and theft, driven by financial gain, had been ongoing for a considerable period. The NSCDC DLS is actively pursuing legal avenues in this case as well, currently working to secure a 60-day remand order, alongside search and arrest warrants, to facilitate further investigation and prosecution. These actions collectively demonstrate the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps arrests and its commitment to upholding law and order, both internally and across critical national infrastructure.

Lawyers specializing in criminal defense or public sector accountability should monitor these upcoming prosecutions by the NSCDC Directorate of Legal Services, as they may involve complex issues of internal security, arms trafficking, and official misconduct. Compliance officers in security agencies or related sectors should review their internal controls for asset management and record-keeping, particularly for sensitive equipment, to prevent similar diversions and falsification of records.

Source: Original reporting via news reports.