Veritatis Gaudium: Multidisciplinary Journal of Postgraduate Studies

This study assessed the role of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the regulation of private guard companies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. This study therefore examines the strategies used for the regulation of private guards companies, the roles and challenges of private security companies within Federal Capital Territory Abuja, guided by some specific research objectives: (i) to examine the implementation processes of Nigeria security and civil defense corps in enhancing personnel training in private security guard companies in federal capital territory, Abuja and (ii) to investigate the challenges affecting their effectiveness in implementation on the registration and licensing of private guard companies in federal capital territory, Abuja, also to know our effective the Nigeria security and civil defense conditions and service welfare in private guard companies in federal capital territory Abuja between 2019-2024. The study Anchored on Principal-Agent Theory (PAT), the study adopted the descriptive survey design, based on primary and secondary data drawn from academic journals, government reports, and institutional publications, with a population consisting of 5,680 personnel of the NSCDC Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Command and licensed PGCs. The sample size was 373 respondents drawn from the various departments of the NSCDC and representatives of PGCs in FCT using a multistage sampling technique and the Taro Yamane formula. Furthermore, the instrument for the collection of data for this study was interviewer and a questionnaire. The instrument was administered on the respondents through a direct delivery method by the researcher. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS mean, standard deviation and simple percentages methods. The hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance using the Chi-square Fit of Goodness Test analysis in SPSS. Results from the study revealed that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has strategies used for regulation to promote physical protection and guarding services of private guard companies in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, between 2019 and 2024. Findings reveal that private guard security companies perform critical crime prevention functions, including access control, surveillance, patrol operations, crowd management, and intelligence gathering, thereby acting as capable guardians that disrupt crime opportunities across residential estates, commercial hubs, and government facilities. However, their effectiveness is constrained by inadequate training, poor remuneration, proliferation of unlicensed operators, and weak collaboration with public law enforcement agencies. These challenges undermine the quality of guardianship and fragment the broader security network. The study concludes that while private guard security companies significantly complement public policing in Abuja, their full potential remains unrealized without robust regulatory oversight, investment in professional personnel training, development, and structured public-private security partnerships, improved working conditions and service welfare, and registration and licensing of her mother security agencies. Recommendations include working conditions and welfare, mandatory personnel training programs for security personnel and stricter enforcement of licensing standards by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to enhance accountability and operational effectiveness within the private security industry.

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