Slain NSCDC officers: FG grants automatic employment to families of deceased personnel
The Federal Government has announced automatic employment for a family member of each of the seven slain personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, announced this on Thursday during a condolence visit to the families of the slain officers.
Recall that the officers were ambushed by bandits in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, earlier in January during which seven of them lost their lives.
The deceased personnel have since been given a state burial at a ceremony in Kaduna.
A statement issued by the NSCDC spokesman, Olusola Odumosu, said the Minister’s message was delivered to the families of the late personnel by the Commandant General of the corps, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, during the condolence visit to the families.
The statement reads, “This is a service that has its personnel in mind. It is my vision to champion the course of promoting personnel’s welfare in the Corps.”
“The minister has approved one slot each for you to replace your husbands.”
“I have also directed the Kaduna State Commandant, Idris Yahaya, to liaise with you on getting your details across to us in Abuja”.
The NSCDC boss further revealed that he has commenced the process of payment of death benefits and other entitlements to the affected officers through the office of the Minister of Interior to alleviate the pains of those they left behind.
He added, “the Minister sent his condolences, and directed me to inform you, that he is with you on this journey and would ensure that FG continues to support the Corps at all times.”
Cheques for an undisclosed amount of money were also presented to the next of kin of the seven officers as a token of support pending the payment of their accrued benefits.
The NSCDC boss also announced the promotion of the only survivor of the attack, SCA Thomas Hassan, to the rank of Inspector of Corps (IC) from Senior Corps Assistant (SCA) and immediately decorated him with his new rank even as he charged him to teach others the manoeuvring tactics used to survive such dangerous attack to minimise casualties in case of similar confrontation in the future.
In his remarks, a representative of the deceased families, Baba Ladan, thanked the Minister, CG, ACG Zone B, the Kaduna State Commandant and all officers and men nationwide for their prayers and for standing by the families during their period of grief.
