Personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Sokoto State survived an ambush during an operation, with Commandant Akinrun Emmanuel Ajayi crediting an armoured vehicle provided by the state government for protecting his team from the attackers.
Ajayi disclosed the incident recently when members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited the command. He displayed a damaged operational vehicle to journalists, describing it as evidence of the risks security personnel face in the line of duty. According to the commandant, the Sokoto State Government recently supplied the command with four operational vehicles, including the armoured carrier, which has strengthened its capacity to respond to security threats.
“If not for the effort of the state government, especially the four vehicles recently provided to us, including the armoured vehicle, something could have happened. The bullets could not penetrate and the men were able to escape,” Ajayi said. He added that the attack underscored the need for security agencies to be properly equipped, particularly as criminals adopt more dangerous tactics.
The commandant also highlighted the gap between public perception and the realities of security work, stressing that the media plays a vital role in documenting the sacrifices of personnel. “Nobody will hear this if not for people like you. Nobody will speak about our contributions to the public if not for your presence,” he told the visiting journalists.
Ajayi called for deeper collaboration between the NSCDC and the press, describing journalists as essential partners in addressing insecurity. He pledged to maintain an open-door policy and directed officers to share their contact details with media practitioners to facilitate rapid communication during emergencies and security incidents. Such cooperation, he said, should extend beyond routine reporting to include discussions on operational challenges, arrests, detention of suspects, and emerging threats.
Combating banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and other crimes, Ajayi noted, requires coordinated action from security agencies, government, communities, and the media. He urged journalists to sustain accurate and responsible reporting, saying reliable information builds public confidence and supports security efforts across Sokoto State.
