Monday, September 22, 2014

Police, NSCDC battle over oil pipelines

Police, NSCDC battle over oil pipelinesThe recurrent tense situation between members of the Nigerian Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is like a keg of gun powder, waiting to explode. The wrangling between the two forces, has always been over which of them should man or have jurisdiction over certain areas. This state of affairs is more noticeable in Lagos State.
It was this same situation that led to the death of two officials of NSCDC in 2013. Security observers have argued that if something was not done fast, the uneasy relationship between the two forces will continue to deteriorate, leading to further loss of lives. Just two weeks ago, August, 15, 2014 to be precise, there would have been another bloodbath at Ikorodu area of Lagos, after a police inspector, allegedly ordered a corporal to shoot the NSCDC Commandant General, Mr. Ade Abolurin. New Telegraph gathered that the commandant and a committee, inaugurated by the Attorney General of the federation, on disposal of seized vandalised items were on tour when the incident occurred.
The committee consists of personnel from NSCDC, office of Director of Public Prosecution, ICPC, EFCC, armed forces, Ministry of Justice with Abolurin as the chairman. It will be recalled that in March, 13, 2013, policemen and officials of NSCDC clashed, leading to the death of an Assistant Inspector, Mr. Gabriel Adaji and Inspector Innocent Akegbe, both NSCDC officers. NSCDC alleged that policemen ambushed them after they arrested some suspected vandals, leading to a shoot out.
Stating their own side of the story, the police insisted that it was officials of NSCDC who attacked them for vying into the areas perceived as their ‘jurisdiction’ while they were guarding pipelines. Both forces apparently had not learnt from that confrontation. In this latest encounter, NSCDC alleged that their General Commandant, Abolurin was almost shot.

In a swift reaction, the following day, the police through the Force Spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu denied the assassination attempt, stressing that investigation was on to unravel what transpired. But till date, nothing had been forthcoming over the matter, either from the police or NSCDC. The National Spokesman for NSCDC, Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Okeh, gave a detailed account of what he said allegedly happened on that Friday.
His words: “On that Friday, the Commandant and the committee, inaugurated by the Attorney General of the Federation, on disposal of seized items, were on site when the incident happened. The Committee consists of personnel from NSCDC, office of Director of Public Prosecution, ICPC, EFCC, Soldiers, Navy, Air Forces and Ministry of Justice. The Commandant General of the corps is the chairman of the team. It’s the duty of the committee to carry out oversight function in all the states, where those items are being kept. The committee started its inspection from Rivers, Edo, Delta and other parts within the south south.
Then it was the turn of the south west and they’ve visited Kogi, Ondo, Osun and Lagos. “It was in Lagos that a team of policemen, with an inspector as the leader of the team interrupted the inspection team.” He said that before the incident, there was arrest of vandals within that zone by NSCDC officers. The arrest was carried out before the arrival of the committee to the area. According to him, the vandals arrested were in possession of items used in vandalism.
He alleged that the vandals alerted the police who apparently had been working with them in perpetration of pipeline vandalism for pecuniary reasons. Okeh said: “When the policemen came, they said the corps and Committee had no right to visit the place without their permission. They said they were in charge of the environment and that before anything could happen there, the Committee should have taken permission from them. When the Commandant General called him, to have a talk with him, the inspector ordered one of his men to open fire.
But God averted it. The directive was not carried out. “The inspector ordered a corporal to shoot, but the corporal refused. There was a sort of heated dialogue between the inspector and corporal. I guess the corporal looked at the members of the Committees and their ranks.” Reacting to allegations that some NSCDC officials attacked and beat up some residents, labeling them vandals on that day before the arrival of the committee, Okeh said: “That was a makeup story to cover what happened on that day. The people arrested on that day for vandalism confessed to being in partnership with the same team of policemen that came on that day.”
Asked what he felt was the bone of contention between NSCDC and the police, Okeh said: “It’s an issue which I’m sure the government will look into at the appropriate time and take appropriate actions.” He however added that the issue of vandalism was the core function of NSCDC, stressing that any other agency doing it, was doing so in partnership with NSCDC. “In fact, every security agency is a stakeholder. Thus, any other agency that is doing it, is collaborating and in partnership with NSCDC. As a matter of fact, when you arrest, you’re supposed to hand over to NSCDC for prosecution. Every agency has its own mandate but security can’t be done by one agency alone. This is why agencies synergize by working hand in hand in order to protect lives and properties, which is the ultimate goal of all security agencies.”
Meanwhile, as Nigerians wait for the investigation to begins, residents of Maba Island in Ikorodu area of Lagos State, where the latest confrontation occurred, have revealed what allegedly transpired from their own side. The residents alleged that the NSCDC operatives, who carried out a raid in search of vandals on that fateful day, broke into their homes, destroying their property and means of livelihood and unleashed hell on them. One of the residents, Taiye, a trader said: “I was in my shop when they arrived, shooting sporadically. They dragged me, our guest and my husband outside, and forced us to sit on the floor. They kept beating us and shouting that we were vandals.
They threatened to take me and my entire family to Abuja as criminals. One of their members, a woman pleaded that they should let us go. They later released us.” Another resident, Ciminehin Adebayo said NSCDC operatives, heavily armed stormed her room while she was naked. “I was in my room, sleeping when they arrived. I was woken up by the banging on my door. I shouted that they should hold on as I was naked. Before I could pick a dress, they broke into my room and saw me naked. They ransacked the house, hoping to find empty gallons.” Okoro Ejiofor said: “About 20 NSCDC men stormed our compound. They broke my door before I could stop them. They smashed my window in the name of searching for vandals.
If they had asked me to open the door, I would have done that without them destroying my property. I had to call my brother, who is in the Army and he asked me to copy the number of their vehicles which I did. Will they go to Arepo and invade people’s houses like they did ours? It’s simple; they felt that a poor man cannot challenge them.” Alhaji Tajudeen Ogunse said: “I was on my way back from an event at about 10am, when a convoy of NSCDC operatives zoomed past. They were all heavily armed. They immediately combed the area from Oke Oko junction and took off to Maba area. As a leader, I quickly parked my car and walked towards the area they were heading to. I also called the officer in charge of Anti-vandal in that area. I needed to know what it was about; he told me that they are on patrol.
Shortly after I got to the scene, policemen, numbering about five drove past. They stopped them and ordered them to get down from the car. The inspector came down and introduced himself. He was speaking with the colonel. After few minutes they entered their bus and drove back. I was shocked to hear in the news that there was an attempt to attack the Commandant General.” Chief Isiaka Ijalonibu who also claimed to be an eye witness said that the community remains grateful to God because nobody was killed. “It was a reign of terror that day. Everyone ran into their houses for fear of being killed by stray bullets. I got to know that there was something wrong when I heard gun shots.
As a kingmaker in the community, I managed to walk out but kept a safe distance wondering whether there was a war going on. I was busy counting the number of heavily armed men when a bus drove by. I was wondering who had the guts to come to that area after hearing such gun shots. As expected, they stopped them and tried to drag them down when one of them came down and moved towards the soldier man. “Few minutes later, they drove out of the scene. It was then I knew that they were policemen and about five in number. All I want to say is that there is no pipeline in this area. In the past, we heard cases of this area being used as a transit point from Arepo pipeline.
We used to live in fear because of the activities of vandals but today, they have arrested and jailed most of them. Even if they want to come on a legitimate business they should have come peacefully instead of destroying and raiding people’s property in the name of searching for vandals.” A policeman who was part of the team that allegedly attempted to shoot the Commandant General said: “We were on patrol, heading back to our station when we stumbled into a multitude of NSCDC operatives heavily armed.
They stopped us, insisting that we should go back or be dealt with. At that point, the Inspector came down and tried to explain to them. The Colonel’s attention was drawn to us and he came over. I showed him my identity card and explained that we just wanted to pass. He told me to hold on and went back to consult with the others. He later came and joined us, and said that we should go back and wait a little that they will soon be on their way. We turned back. I was surprised that they alleged that we corked a gun.
How could I cork gun when there were so many heavily armed men. I cannot challenge a colonel, a major and a Navy commandant in their midst. If there was an attempt, why was my gun not taken away from me?” While the accusation and counter accusations continued, the bad blood continues to fester, waiting for the authourity to intervene and sort the matter once and forever.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

this rivalry is crazy...the police shud learn to let go.....dey cannot do or oversight everything