By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
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 Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, gave the announcement on Thursday, during a condolence visit to the families of the late personnel.
Peoples Daily recalls that the personnel of the Corps were ambushed by bandits in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, earlier in January during which seven of them lost their lives.
They have since been given a state burial in a ceremony in Kaduna.
A statement by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Olusola Odumosu, said the Minister’s message was delivered to the families of the late personnel by the Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, during the condolence visit to the families.
“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,” he said.
The Corps helmsman hinted that he had initiated the process of payment of death benefits and other entitlements to the affected officers through the office of the Minister of Interior to ameliorate 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.”
He later presented cheques of an undisclosed amount of money to the next of kin of the seven fallen heroes as a token of support pending the payment of their accrued benefits.
The CG also announced the elevation of SCA Thomas Hassan, the only survivor of the attack, 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 in order to minimise casualties in case of similar confrontation in the future.
In his vote of thanks, a representative of the deceased families, Mallam Baba Ladan, thanked the Minister of Interior, 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.
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