By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ebonyi State Command has vowed to intensify its crackdown on illegal mining operators and fake fertilizer dealers, describing their activities as major threats to public safety, food security, and environmental sustainability.
The State Commandant of the Corps, Commandant Francis Chika Nnadi, made this known on Wednesday during an interactive session with journalists at the NSCDC Command Headquarters in Abakaliki.
He stated that the Corps, under his leadership, is committed to curbing acts of economic sabotage and restoring discipline across critical sectors in the state.
Nnadi, who was deployed to Ebonyi in November 2024 as part of the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, said his mandate is to reform and reposition the operations of the NSCDC in Ebonyi, particularly in safeguarding public assets, resolving civil conflicts, and enforcing lawful resource management.
“Illegal mining operations, especially those done without proper licenses or safety oversight, are dangerous and unacceptable,” Commandant Nnadi said.
“We are already monitoring locations such as Enyiba in Ikwo LGA, where concerns were raised about underground mining by a Chinese company. Any illegality discovered will be dealt with decisively within 24 hours," he further stated.
He assured that the Corps is working with the State Ministry of Solid Minerals, Federal Mines Officers, and relevant revenue authorities to ensure that only authorized miners operate in the state, while ensuring that environmental standards are not compromised.
Speaking on the alarming spread of adulterated fertilizers in the state, Nnadi said several suspects had been apprehended for producing and distributing fake agricultural inputs.
“Someone selling fake fertilizer is worse than an armed robber. You’re robbing poor farmers of their only means of survival.
“We are working closely with the State Task Force on Fertilizer Distribution to ensure offenders are arrested and prosecuted," he added.
He said the NSCDC recently uncovered and shut down a network of illegal fertilizer vendors in Ebonyi and promised that more arrests would follow.
As part of a broader security initiative, Commandant Nnadi outlined other key interventions by the Corps, including the formation of the Agro Rangers Squad to mitigate herder-farmer conflicts, and the Mining Marshals, tasked with overseeing lawful mining operations and preventing illegal extraction.
He also highlighted the establishment of the Safe School Quick Response Unit, a female-led digital team dedicated to protecting schools from attacks, kidnappings, and violence.
Other projects included the construction of a State-of-the-Art NSCDC Training School, a Crèche for staff welfare, and the Civil Defence Community, a grassroots intelligence-sharing network with over 1,000 active members.
“Through Operation Know Your Neighbour, we encourage community vigilance. People must begin to profile those they live with because many criminals operate freely due to lack of scrutiny,” Nnadi said.
He further warned vandals who damage public infrastructure such as streetlights, bridges, and railings that the law will catch up with them.
According to him, several suspects involved in vandalism and cult-related crimes have already been remanded and are facing prosecution.
“Every day is for the thief, but one day is for the owner. Ebonyi cannot continue to lose public resources to criminal elements. We are here to reduce crime and criminality to the barest minimum,” he declared.
Nnadi called on Ebonyi residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest NSCDC office or the Civil Defence Community network, assuring the public that all reports would be acted upon swiftly and confidentially.
