In their bid to ensure that a balanced and official perspective on the ongoing elections in Lagos are projected to the public, journalists on election duty were shut out by the new Lagos State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Commandant of Corps (CC) Isaq Alfadarai Usman whom they met around the Oshodi axis of Lagos.
Obviously enthusiastic that they will be able to get and report official situation report, the journalists in their numbers met the Commandant in his convoy and expressed their willingness to have a brief chat with the NSCDC boss. To the utter dismay and rude shock of the journalists, neither he nor his Public Relations Officer (PRO), Seun Abolurin who was also on the convoy granted a chat to the press. Instead, the PRO Abolurin told journalists that his boss said, can not talk to journalist.
This is obviously a misrepresentation of the ideals and standards that the NSCDC Commandant-General, Dr. Abubakar Ahmed Audi and the National PRO, CC Olusola Odumosu expects from officers.
For Lagos, a centerpiece of activities in Nigeria, NSCDC as an agency saddled with protection of critical national assets cannot give less of excellent service. This unfriendly action today by the new Commandant Usman is only sending a message to the media that ‘I am here to operate a closed door policy, I am good on my own’ which cannot augur well for the operations of NSCDC in Lagos.
Meanwhile, the media has reports cases of attacks, ballot box snatching in some part of Lagos and INEC material burnt at Agboola street, Mafoluku, Oshodi.
It would be recalled that CC Isaq Alfadarai Usman resumed operations as the new Commandant of National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos Command barely a month ago on 24th January, 2023.
