Soldiers Disperse About 3,000 Recruits Of Controversial Rivers Neighborhood Watch In Camp

…Calls the Rivers Government

Recruits As Illegal Militias In Training

The Joint Military Task Force, yesterday, Thursday, November 29, stormed the training camp of about 3,000 new recruits of controversial Rivers State Neighborhood and Safety Watch of state government tagging it illegal militias in a training at Nonwa, Tai LGA of Rivers State.

Eyewitness account said the soldiers who drove into the camp, which is also used as the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, they were firm but polite asking to vacate the camp immediately.

It will be recalled that the controversial Civilian outfit though backed by the Rivers State House of Assembly has been a subject of litigations at Court, debates, accusations and counter accusations between the members of the two major political parties, of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State.

Reacting to the sacking of the trainees at Nonwa today, Mr Chizi Anyi, a Lawyer, and chieftain of APC and one of the litigants that have dragged the state government to court challenging the setting up of the out said

“It is contemptuous for the state government to go ahead with the recruitment and training of the controversial outfit even when the case challenging it existence and legality is still in court. The government should have waited for the court’s decision before going. I thank the security agencies for doing what is needful.”, Chizi Anyi said.

Recall that a similar effort by the Cross River State Government under Prof. Ben Ayade, known as Green Police was also disbanded by the Inspector General of Police.

Our Correspondent recalls that the Rivers Neighbourhood Watch had applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to be accredited to be part of security outfits to monitor future elections in state but was turned down because the INEC in the state said it lacked powers to grant that request and referred the management of the out to INEC headquarters.

It may be backed by the State laws but it runs in contravention of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as such, remains an illegality.

The issue of Security is on the exclusive list of the Federal Government under 1999 constitution as amended.

Attempts were made to get the official reaction of 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt but it was not successful.

Our Correspondent in Port Harcourt called Colonel Aminu Illyasu, Spokesman for 6 Division of the Nigerian Army for the official reaction of the Army he said: “We will come out with an official statement“.

However when the official reaction of the military came from Aminu ILiyasu it read thus:

“Troops of 6 Division Nigerian Army (NA) today the 29th November 2018 while on a routine surveillance at Nonwa Gbam, (NYSC Orientation Camp) in Tai Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, discovered an illegal militia training camp. The troops met over 100 recruits undergoing military type of training.

“Preliminary investigations into the discovery has commenced in conjunction with sister security agencies in the state to fish out the sponsors of the militia and the training camp.

“Recall that similar illegal militia training camps were discovered and disbanded in Benue and Taraba States earlier in the year and measures were promptly taken to forestall breach of security and safety of citizens.”

AMINU ILIYASU

Colonel

Deputy Director Army Public Relations

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Army Press statement

“Preliminary investigations into the discovery has commenced in conjunction with sister security agencies in the state to fish out the sponsors of the militia and the training camp.

You are kindly requested to disseminate the above information to the general public for awareness. Thank you for your usual cooperation.

AMINU ILIYASU

Colonel

Deputy Director Army Public Relations

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