Abuja: The Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Audi, has commended Dr Benito Eze for documenting the corps’ experience in protecting critical infrastructure. Audi, represented by ACG Rasaki Olusesan, gave the commendation on Thursday in Abuja, at the presentation of Eze’s book, ‘Critical Infrastructure Protection in Nigeria: The NSCDC CNAI Experience’. The event marked Eze’s disengagement from service as Acting Deputy Commandant-General in charge of the Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) Directorate.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Audi described Eze as an asset to the nation, saying the book documented his contributions and experience in the CNAI directorate. He stated that the book would serve as a useful guide to the NSCDC in strengthening its effectiveness and efficiency in protecting critical national assets and infrastructure.
Earlier, Eze in his remarks said that his motivation for writing the book came from what he identified as gaps in Nigeria’s approach to infrastructure protection. He noted that infrastructure projects were often established without adequate protection plans, highlighting that Nigeria is unique in establishing infrastructures without any protection plans.
The author further elaborated that his study examined the statutory role of the NSCDC in critical infrastructure protection and advocated stronger inter-agency collaboration. Eze emphasized that infrastructure protection has evolved from a fragmented system to one of greater collaboration, cooperation, and coordination among relevant agencies, referring to these efforts as the ‘three Cs’.
He also pointed out existing challenges such as inter-agency competition and a ‘superiority complex’ that previously led agencies to operate independently. Eze recommended stronger government directives to ensure effective implementation of the national policy on critical national assets and infrastructure protection.
Prof. Udenta Udenta, the Chairman of the occasion, described Eze’s retirement as a significant rite of passage after a distinguished career, commending him for combining professional service with scholarship. He highlighted the book as a crucial intellectual contribution to the country.
Prof. Bakut Bakut, who reviewed the book, discussed its major contributions, such as documenting the evolution of the NSCDC from its traditional civil defence role to specialising in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure. Bakut emphasized ‘security by design’ as a significant concept in the book, advocating for incorporating security considerations into infrastructure planning.
Bakut called for stronger empirical evidence and measurable performance indicators to assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach. He also suggested that the precise scope of the NSCDC’s role as the lead agency in critical infrastructure protection required further clarification, especially considering the roles of other security agencies and government institutions.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 248-page book examines the evolution of critical infrastructure protection, strategic protection methods, sectoral case studies, terrorism-infrastructure nexus, institutional reforms, and recommendations. Eze, who will turn 60 in 2026, retired from the NSCDC after serving as Acting Deputy Commandant-General in charge of the CNAI Directorate.