The Edo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has constituted a seven-member committee to drive the sanitisation and regulation of the scrap business sector across the state.

The committee was inaugurated following a stakeholders' meeting held at the NSCDC State Command headquarters in Benin City, where operators and key players in the scrap value chain from the three senatorial districts of Edo State met to discuss measures aimed at addressing criminal activities associated with the business.

The committee comprises representatives of the National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria (NASWDEN), the Arewa Group and civil society organisations, and will work in collaboration with the NSCDC to strengthen oversight of the sector.

Speaking at the meeting, the Edo State Commandant of the NSCDC, Akintayo Saidi Ayinla, said the committee was established to develop a regulatory framework that would protect genuine scrap dealers from stigmatisation and wrongful labelling as vandals.

He explained that the committee would also ensure the protection of scrap dealers and scavengers from exploitation, rid the business of criminal elements, and guarantee that scrap dealers purchase only from lawful scavengers rather than individuals engaged in vandalism.

According to the commandant, the initiative is also aimed at denying vandals a ready market for stolen infrastructure and other vandalised property.

Ayinla warned that the command would deal decisively with anyone found in possession of vandalised items, stressing that any scrap dealer who purchases stolen property from vandals would be compelled to replace the affected items before facing prosecution.

He reiterated that the NSCDC remained committed to sanitising the scrap business and urged all operators in the value chain to take advantage of the ongoing three-month registration and profiling exercise.

The commandant noted that compliance with the directive would help distinguish legitimate operators from criminal elements and promote a more transparent and accountable scrap business in Edo State.

Speaking on behalf of scrap dealers in Ekpoma, Mosikeru Ahmed welcomed the initiative, describing it as long overdue. He said the activities of vandals had created a negative perception of the scrap business and commended the Edo State Commandant of the NSCDC for intervening to address the situation.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Area Sky Save, Fidelis Omoodu, described the constitution of the committee as a proactive initiative that accommodates all stakeholders. He said the arrangement would enhance intelligence gathering, strengthen collaboration with the NSCDC and complement the command's efforts to sanitise the scrap business across Edo State.