Federal Lawmakers Takes “Army Attack” On Rivers State Neighbourhood Watch To National Assembly

Hon. Kingsley Chinda, (PDP) federal lawmaker representing Obio/Akpor federal constituency said that he has moved a motion at the floor of the National Assembly, praying the House to investigate the disbandment of the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps.

Chinda in an interview with  newsmen on Tuesday in Port Harcourt said there is still hope for the State-owned security outfit to become operational.

 He said that since the Neighbourhood Watch was a product of the State law, stopping it from operating would require some legal process.

“It is only a court of competent jurisdiction that has the prerogative to make pronouncements on the legality or otherwise of the Rives State Neighborhood Watch as it is a product of law,” he said.

Chinda said that the only way to stop a law that has been passed by a well constituted House, such as the Rivers State House of Assembly, is to go to court to challenge it and not to forcefully stop it.

Recall that the men of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army had raided and dislodged the official training programme of recruits into the security outfit of the State government, branding it as militia group.

Chinda explained that no man or organization other than the court of law, (not even the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria), is permitted to pronounce the legality or otherwise of the outfit.

“Rivers State Neighbourhood watch is still valid, and remains a veritable tool to boost internal security in the State.

 “Our major interest is the fact that the Nigerian Army alleged that the Neighbourhood Watch scheme has some persons that they call members of a militia group and we are out to investigate and to confirm if truly it is a militia group.

 “If the scheme is not in the best interest of the State, then, it is not in the best interest of the country, but if that is not the case, we will also let Nigerians know that this is an injustice on the State,” he said

The federal lawmaker also pointed out that similar security outfits have been operating in almost 20 States of the federation and wondered why Rivers State was singled out by the military.

 Accusing the Military of having a double standard in its operation, he said that the incident may have a political undertone.

In the same vein, Mr Gogo Bright, (PDP) representing Okrika/Ogu-bolo federal constituency, said that as long as Rivers State remained a part of Nigeria, it would be unfair to isolate it from floating its own security outfit like every other States of the federation.

He, however, expressed confidence in legislators as he looked forward to their cooperation during the Committee level

“At the Committee level of this motion, we shall look at the merits of the motion and we hope to have good support from the majority.