The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Akwa Ibom Command, has warned operators of unregistered private guard companies in the state to stop operating with immediate effect.

The State Commandant of the corps, Mr Samuel Fadeyi, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Uyo.

Fadeyi said the law mandates that all private guard companies must register with the agency before operation, stressing that anything short of that is unacceptable.

He said that the NSCDC would not tolerate any unregistered private guard company in the state, especially with the security challenges confronting the country.

Fadeyi said that the command recently apprehended one unregistered guard company operating in Akwa Ibom State University.

He urged private individuals and organisations wishing to hire private security guards to cross-check with the NSCDC to ensure that they were registered.

Fadeyi said that the command in 2020 shut down 16 illegal private guard companies in the state.

“They are not licensed at all. We have to take this unregistered private companies operations serious.

“Before you hire private guards, you need to know if they are registered, do background check to know if the are registered.

“This is the essence of the license and we have to take this thing serious, especially with the security situation in the country.

“You cannot just employ someone to do security work, not this time, because the security challenges do not allow that, and we will not allow that to happen, not in Akwa Ibom,” Fadeyi said.

He also warned against dealing in adulterated petroleum products and vandalism of transformers and electrical installations in the state.

Fadeyi said the command secured 40 convictions in 2020 from those who were apprehended for dealing on adulterated petroleum products and vandalism of electrical installation.