From Joseph Obukata, Warri
Two civilians who have been reported to be notorious posing as personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and often extorting money from tanker drivers at an illegal checkpoint along Jeddo road in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, have been apprehended.
NSCDC Public Relation Officer, Emeke Peter, a Deputy Superintendent of Corp who confirmed this in a statement on Sunday, said that the suspects were caught red handed fully kitted in uniform similar to that of the NSCDC regalia, at about 2300hrs (mid night).
He said that the suspects identified as Lucky Emofuoreta, 22 yrs and Goodness Osorochukwu Francis 25 years, had been reported to often extort money from the unsuspecting road users particularly truck and tankers drivers on that route.
Items recovered from them include; one Honda Odyssey bus with registration number KPR 113 SX, gold colour, one handcuff, a pair of jungle boots, two jack knives amongst other unlawful items used for their nefarious activities.
Meanwhile, Emeka said that on the complaints by members of the public regarding the issue of multiple checkpoints wrongly perceived to be men of the NSCDC, the State Commandant Akinsanya Iskilu Abiodun, has ordered the HOD Intelligence and Investigation to deploy plain cloth officers on routine patrol and surveillance across the state to fish out the identities of those involved.
He disclosed that one of those deployments led to the arrest of the two suspects following an intelligence tip off from men of the NSCDC.
Emeka reiterated that the multiple checkpoints on the roads are not NSCDC officials adding that NSCDC operates within the law with total observance of the fundamental human rights of the citizenry.
He also said that officers of the corps conduct themselves in the best international practice and standards.
According to him, NSCDC, only mount and maintain strategic check points statutorily with NSCDC branded operational vehicles as part of the continuous efforts at mitigating or checkmating the menace of product diversion, adulterated products, crude oil theft and vandalism of national asset or installations in the state.
The PRO maintained that the NSCDC have sustained and maintained a robust relationship, synergy and mutual collaboration and cooperation with all sister security agencies in the state and has zero tolerance for crimes in pursuance of its mandate.
He assured the public of the continuous efforts by the command geared towards the protection of life and property and to assist in maintaining peace and order in the state, pointing the ongoing Surveillance patrol exercise by personnel of the corps across the state would be sustained.
He urges the public to “say something when they see something”, saying that those with useful information about a criminal activity should visit any of the 25 Divisional Offices, or the NSCDC Formations across the state and the state headquarters, Asaba.
He affirmed that the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation as a deterrent to other would-be criminals