Abuja - The FCT Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, on Tuesday, sealed up three illegal private guard companies in the territory.
They are Vault Security Company Ltd, Bright Star Security Ltd and E-Control Security Ltd. Mr Abdullahi Kofaroro, the FCT Commandant of the Corps, said the defaulting companies failed to honour several invitations requiring them to make amend.
Kofaroro, who was represented by the command’s Officer-in-Charge of private guard companies, Mrs Florence Akalawu, said the companies had been operating without meeting the requirements for setting up security companies. ``We served them several letters asking them to obtain the necessary clearance, but they failed to meet the requirements, and so we have no option than to close them down.
Kofaroro said that the defaulting companies were operating without obtaining the compulsory licence from the Corps and paying N500,000 registration fee.
``Also, one of the directors of a security company must be a retired security officer, but this requirement was not complied with by the affected companies.
``So, we had to close them down as they posed security threats to the society.’’
He explained that the inclusion of a retired officer in the management of a security company was to ensure that the necessary training was giving to security guards at all times.
``The companies will remain sealed until they meet all the requirements.
Any of them that re-opens its offices or removes the seal will be prosecuted,’’ Kofaroro said.
All efforts by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to speak to the owners of the affected companies proved abortive as they could not be reached.
The corps closed down 131 private guard companies nationwide between January 2011 and December 2012 for same reasons.
NAN