The fate of the top Civil Defence official who ridiculed his organisation during a live TV programme is hanging in the balance after he was quietly removed without his next posting being made known.

Dr. Olu Abolurin, Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), had on March 20 publicly declared in Abuja, the Nigeria capital, that the Lagos State Commandant, Mr. Obafaiye Shem, who could not name the organisation’s website during a Channels TV appearance.

But less than two weeks after the pronouncement, Abolurin introduced Mr. Adesuyi Clement from Oyo State Command to newsmen as the new Lagos Commandant. Abolurin, who was in Lagos on official assignment, would however not shed light on the next posting of Shem.

As reported by News Express on March 21, during the Channels Television interview of early last month, Mr. Shem could not give the name of the NSCDC’s website, saying only his “Oga at the top” could give the name of the correct website. The incident sparked an international derisive joke, with people producing T-Shirts dedicated to “Oga at the top” while others set up websites for it and others produced the video.

However, commenting on the incident yesterday, NSCDC Commandant General, Dr. Ade Abolurin, said Shem did not commit any punishable offence and – contrary to reports – had not been suspended.

Speaking March 20 during the annual NSCDC National Cooperative Society Meeting, Abolurin said Shem’s blunder “did not call for sanction.”

According to Abolurin, “It is an internal measure; we will keep you posted; we are still on course because he has not committed any offence. If a person is being interviewed, and in the process the person could not compose himself, that does not result to a crime; it is a question of maturity.”

•Photo shows Mr. Shem a.k.a “My Oga at the top”.