The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, has urged its personnel to uphold professionalism, accountability and respectful public relations, warning that poor attitudes towards citizens could undermine public confidence in the security agency.
The FCT Commandant, Dr Olusola Odumosu, gave the warning during the closing ceremony of this year’s Customer Service Week in Abuja, where he called for improved service delivery and stronger relationships between officers and members of the public.
Odumosu said the celebration provided an opportunity for the corps to assess the quality of its services, evaluate public expectations and identify ways to build a more compassionate, responsible and people-oriented institution.
Speaking on the theme, “Going the Extra Mile,” the commandant said officers must go beyond routine duties to exceed expectations and demonstrate greater commitment to serving Nigerians.
He stressed that the theme was closely linked to the corps’ institutional values and constitutional responsibilities, particularly its mandate to protect lives, property, critical national assets and infrastructure.
According to him, citizens, corporate organisations, public institutions, private companies and other stakeholders who interact with the corps should all be treated as customers deserving dignity, courtesy, fairness and professionalism.
Odumosu maintained that every interaction between officers and members of the public presented an opportunity to strengthen trust in the institution.
He warned that while a courteous officer could restore public confidence, indifference and unprofessional conduct could damage an organisation’s reputation built over many years.
The commandant noted that the NSCDC plays a strategic role in Nigeria’s internal security architecture, with responsibilities spanning the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure, disaster response, citizen protection and the regulation of private guard companies.
He explained that the effectiveness of these responsibilities depended not only on operational capacity but also on the level of cooperation and confidence the corps enjoyed among citizens and relevant stakeholders.
Odumosu said the FCT Command was working towards establishing a service culture in which excellence becomes a consistent practice, courtesy is extended to everyone and accountability remains a fundamental requirement.
He further urged personnel to prioritise effective communication, emotional intelligence, conflict management and ethical conduct in the discharge of their duties.
The commandant said adopting these values would help make the corps more efficient, transparent, accessible and responsive to the legitimate needs of the public.
He reiterated the need for officers to place citizens at the centre of their decisions and actions, stressing that improved public relations remained essential to strengthening confidence in the NSCDC and its security operations.
