Military Invasion Of RIVNESCA Training Session, Attack On Rivers People – PDP Spokesman
The Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Hon. Darlington Orji (JP), has described last Thursday’s invasion of the training ground for recruits of the State security outfit as an attack on the people of Rivers State.
The PDP Publicity Secretary who spoke with newsmen on Friday on the invasion by soldiers of the Nigerian Army, said that the attack should be probed by the federal government.
The party’s spokesperson said that the invasion of the training ground for recruits of the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency by soldiers of the Nigerian Army was unprovoked and unwarranted, saying that it confirms the alarm earlier raised by the governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, that the federal government was scheming to use security agencies to intimidate the people of the State in the countdown to the 2019 General Elections.
The PDP Publicity Secretary said that the State’s Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency was created by a law of the Rivers State House of Assembly, adding that it was within the right of the State House of Assembly to make the law that sets up the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency.
He faulted the military authorities for denying knowledge of the existence of the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency, saying that they were informed about the state security outfit, and wondered why they should disrupt the activities of the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency when there are similar security outfits in Lagos, Imo, Zamfara, Kogi and Enugu among other States in the country.
He said: “Don’t forget that Neighbourhood Watch was inaugurated in Zamfara State on 13th of November, 2018 and they carry arms. Neighbourhood Watch exists in Lagos State, Kogi State, Imo State, Enugu State and so many other States in Nigeria. The question is, is Rivers State not part of the 36 States in Nigeria? Why should we be intimidated?”
Orji said that it is the strategy of the federal government to use security agencies to intimidate the people of the State and try to stop them from exercising their political will to vote for their preferred candidates in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
The PDP Publicity Secretary, however, appealed to the people of the State not to be intimidated by the federal government’s strategy in using the military.
He said that the military’s invasion of the training ground for recruits of the State security outfit showed that the federal government is not concerned about the security situation in Rivers State, explaining that the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency is to work with security agencies to fight crime in the State.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to show good leadership by ensuring that the military invasion is probed, saying, “We call on President Muhammadu Buhari who recently said in Borno State that the military and other security agencies should stay out of politics, to make sure that this matter will be properly probed to know those behind this unwarranted terror unleashed on Rivers people”.
