Rivers CP reads riot act to vigilance groups

From Tony John, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Nwonyi Emeka, has read the riot act to vigilance groups in the state to be careful of their activities.

Emeka also warned them against detention, torture of arrested persons and extortion. The state police boss gave the warning during stakeholders’ meeting with people of Rivers East senatorial district, yesterday.

He said: “The vigilantes in crime fighting in Rivers State have come to stay. While we like their activities, we emphasise on their excesses. We will not tolerate jungle justice from vigilantes. We cannot have a group of people to protect life and property, and the same people are the ones killing and beheading.

“Tyrannical activities of vigilantes must be curtailed. They are not a force unit themselves. For instance, we have situations where they turn to debt collectors, flogging people. Your duty is to arrest and share information. You don’t have power to detain and investigate.

“If a person is condemned by court for hanging, and the person is shot, the person who shot him has committed murder.

Vigilantes maintain your mandate. Activities of vigilance groups must be monitored by the traditional rulers, police and local government chairmen. Any arrest made by the vigilance group must be handed over to the police.”

Meanwhile the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in charge of State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Victor Erivwede, said: “There are many human rights abuses by the vigilance group. The Vigilance group or OSPAC started well; but (later) started derailing when they began to take contracts from political leaders. If I have my way, I will tell the CP to review the OSPAC and vigilance groups. Many of the OSPAC (members) are criminals.

“I have a case on my table where a vigilance member shot a man dead because the man spoke to his girlfriend.”