Industrial Security in Nigeria

Since prehistoric times, security has been viewed as the next most important thing to man, after such basic necessities as food and shelter.  With civilization, security has become all embracing, touching on every aspect of human endeavor.  Today, the dynamism of the human activity is such that security has found expressions in the different industrial sub-sectors as manufacturing, Maritime, Banking, Aviation, Petrol-chemical, sports, Hospitality and information Technology.  Apparently, this expanding scope of security is beyond the capacity and statutory roles of the police.  This realization gave birth to private security practice, first in the developed countries and much later in the third world.

In Nigeria, private security companies began to emerge to fill the niche over 20 years ago and the industry has continued to play a significant role in crime and loss prevention.  Like other parts of the world where private guard service has taken root, the industry grew out of the population explosion that occurred without proportionate expansion of state security apparatus like the police.

While total population has increased annually at an average of 2.5 percent, the police force has recorded only a modest increase through time.  This led to under-policing, with negative consequences for crime prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution.  The private security industry therefore came into existence as a direct response, to supplement the state security forces.

Furthermore, the existence of private guard firms has been sustained by the greater sense of loyalty, trust and rapid response associated with their services to clients.  Guard companies are reported to be dedicated and could be counted upon in times of emergency, especially when engaged by private organizations.  These, among other advantages, inform the preference commonly expressed for them by client companies who ordinarily see them as being more serious and business-like than in-house operatives.

However, much as the acceptability of private guard companies had come quite early in the day, it wasn’t until 1986 that their activities began to be regulated with the promulgation of Decree 33 under the General Ibrahim Babangida regime, which came when more organizations began finding it expedient to do away with the in-house security system.

Today, investigations put the number of private security companies operating in the country at over one thousand, two hundred (1,200).  This includes the registered and unregistered, licensed and unlicensed, to say nothing of the legion of others without as much as fixed office addresses.  The emerging reality is that the private security profession, like medicine, engineering, shipping and any other with huge potentials, has witnessed the invasion of quacks whose only goal is to milk the cow and beat a retreat when necessary.

Given the sensitive nature of security and the establishment of private guard companies to complement the police in the protection of lives and property, the proliferation of this sub-sector can only come with far-reaching consequences, including threat to national security.

Understandably, in this age of terrorism, bomb attacks, assassination and violent robbery, there is no gainsaying the need to beam the search light continually on private security operatives now largely accepted as an ancillary corp.  Already, such checks are enshrined in the Decree No. 33 of 1986, firstly, with the guidelines for the establishment of private guard companies.  Beyond that however, the self-regulation coming from the private security practitioners themselves, in this case, professional association (NPSA), has been quite noteworthy especially as it establishes code of conduct aimed at ensuring standards, military discipline as well as shutting the doors on quacks.

Decree 33 stipulates that no organization shall perform the service of watching, guarding or carrying of money for the purpose of providing protection against crime unless the organization concerned is (a) registered as a company under or pursuant to the companies Act 1968 (b) has applied for and has been granted license by the minister in accordance with the provisions of the decree and (c) is wholly owned by Nigerians in accordance with Schedule I of the Nigerian Enterprises promotion Act 1977.

Section 2 states that the licensing authority shall not grant license or approval under the provisions of this decree if any director of the company or the person applying for approval has (a) been found guilty of a criminal offense under the penal code, the criminal code, the firearms Act, the explosives Act, the Robbery and firearms decree 1984, by court, or tribunal of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria or of an offense of a similar nature elsewhere; (b) has been sentenced to any period of imprisonment for an offense involving fraud, theft or a breach of trust, whether in Nigeria or elsewhere; (c) has been dismissed, discharged or otherwise removed on disciplinary grounds from The Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces, the prison service, the Special Constabulary, the Fire Services, the Customs Service or any such similar law enforcement agency or service whether in Nigeria or elsewhere.

The decree also stipulates that no applicant shall be granted any license if he is not a citizen of Nigerian.  Furthermore, no employee of any company holding a license shall (a) wear, carry or bear any uniform or cap similar to those of the police, the customs, the prison service or any of the Armed Forces.

Good as the intention of government is the advent of some security firm operators, aptly described as the “businessmen”, and has in no small measure blighted the gai