Police, NSCDC urge private security firms to prioritise staff training

By Emmanuella Opara | October 23rd 2026

KEY POINTS

• The Nigeria Police Force and NSCDC have urged private security companies to train and retrain their personnel regularly.
• The agencies said private guards could support crime prevention by providing intelligence and helping identify crime-prone areas.
• Footprint Guards and Security Services Ltd. was inaugurated in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.
• The company’s chairman pledged to prioritise staff welfare, training and payment of at least the minimum wage.

MAIN STORY

The Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have urged private security companies to invest in regular training and retraining of their personnel to improve service delivery and strengthen security.

The agencies made the call on Friday in Abuja during the inauguration of Footprint Guards and Security Services Ltd., a newly licensed private security company operating in Kuje Area Council.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Kuje, CSP David Samuel, described the establishment of the company as a welcome development that would complement the efforts of the police in the area.

Samuel expressed confidence in the firm’s ability to operate professionally, citing the integrity of its founder, its personnel recruitment processes and the procedures followed in obtaining its operating licence.

He said regular training was essential for effective security operations, regardless of the level of intelligence available to security personnel.

Samuel added that the company’s establishment aligned with the community policing policy of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu.

He said private guards were expected to support the police by extending security coverage, identifying crime-prone areas, providing useful information and assisting in the apprehension of criminals.

Also speaking, the Second-in-Command of the NSCDC’s Kuje Central Division, SC Funmilola Seyi-Fatoyinbo, described the establishment of the company as a positive step towards improving security in the area.

She said security was a collective responsibility and that cooperation between private security firms and government agencies could help prevent criminal activities.

Seyi-Fatoyinbo said the NSCDC was responsible for sensitising, training and retraining its personnel and private security guards to ensure they operated in accordance with the law and relevant regulations.

She stressed that private security personnel must respect citizens’ rights and avoid abuses while carrying out their duties.

The Chairman of Footprint Guards and Security Services Ltd., Mr Victor Onyekachi, said the company would prioritise the welfare, training and retraining of its personnel.

He said the firm had established a system to provide adequate care for its guards and pledged to pay at least the minimum wage.

Onyekachi said he had experience in security training, including conducting training for the Nigeria Police Force and facilitating training for the judiciary.

He added that the company would involve appropriate training organisations, including the police and the NSCDC, in preparing its guards to improve their operational capacity.

The chairman pledged that the company would provide quality and reliable security services to Nigerians.

THE ISSUES

Private security companies can complement the work of public security agencies by helping to identify potential threats, sharing information and extending security coverage. However, effective collaboration requires properly trained personnel who understand their responsibilities and operate within the law.

The emphasis on training, respect for citizens’ rights and staff welfare also highlights the importance of professional standards in private security operations.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

“Training and retraining is key to effective and efficient security service delivery, and no security platform can succeed without it, no matter your level of intelligence,” CSP David Samuel, Divisional Police Officer in charge of Kuje, said.

“The idea is to ensure that nobody’s rights is trampled upon, so our desire is to see that personnel of the company operates within the law without abuse,” SC Funmilola Seyi-Fatoyinbo, Second-in-Command of the NSCDC’s Kuje Central Division, said.

“As a matter of fact, it is our corporate policy to ensure that we pay minimum wage, and we will not be like some other security companies that underpay their guards,” Victor Onyekachi, Chairman of Footprint Guards and Security Services Ltd., said.

WHAT’S NEXT

Footprint Guards and Security Services Ltd. says it will work with the police, the NSCDC and other appropriate training organisations to prepare its personnel for security duties. The company has also pledged to maintain staff welfare standards and provide reliable services.

BOTTOM LINE

The police and NSCDC want private security firms to strengthen staff training, respect citizens’ rights and work with public agencies to improve crime prevention and security.