The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says establishment of dog training institutes in the country has become necessary as trained dogs would assist in enhancing security services.

Abia State Commandant of NSCDC, Dr Benito Eze, made the observation when he paid an inspection visit to the multi-million naira, ultra-modern Trustlink Dogs and Guards Institute complex in Umuahia.

Eze said such institutes were welcome in this digital era, maintaining that well trained dogs were important assets for security operations.

“There is the need to have many of this type of training institutes from where sniffer dogs, alert dogs, among others, could be hired for security assignments,” the highly impressed Commandant said, adding that several advantages were derivable from employing the services of well-trained security dogs.

The Abia NSCDC boss commended the proprietor of Trustlink Dogs and Guards Institute, Dr. Chukwunazom Cyra Obi, for not only establishing the institute but for also engaging in the challenging business of rearing and training dogs for security operations, describing the venture as a gigantic project..

He said that as the supervisors of private security organisations in the state, his Command would always partner the institute to ensure that plans to deploy dogs in security assignments was realised and enjoined all stakeholders to patronise the institute for optimum services.

Responding, Dr. Obi said he was elated by the visit of the Commandant to the complex which he said cost him about N500 million to set up, adding that the institute was of international standard.

He appealed to governments at all levels to patronise the institute to enable it to flourish, thereby enhancing security

Obi also called for synergy between security outfits in the state and the country for purposes of collaborating to boost security through innovations.

“We can as well help other security outfits. If you want to have dogs, if you want to use dogs, we can help you train your dogs. You must not have a dog institute to be in security business, so we will always partner with our colleagues,” he said.

•Photo shows Abia NSCDC Commandant Eze and Trustlink proprietor Obi.