RSG Disbands Vigilante Groups

Rivers State Government has disbanded all vigilante groups in the state; this follows the report by the Amnesty Committee yesterday in Port Harcourt.

The State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike who announced the decision after receiving the Amnesty Committee report also said only those vigilante group that have been profiled,screened and approved would be allowed to operate. with the window of amnesty closed assured that war on criminal groups and cultists would be intensified.

Chief Wike who thanked the committee and security agencies for their hardwork and dedication said the state government would swing into action immediately to make sure all the recommendations were implemented.

With the success of the programme, the governor opined that, “We have not totally eliminated crime but this reduced it drastically. I give God the glory and thanks.”

He condemned the opposition which had earlier criticized the programme warning against politicizing crime, as he urged them to support government’s quest to rid the state of criminality, ‘ we have to work together to fight crime, because we don’t know who will be the victim tomorrow.”

Wike also called on the state government to consolidate on the success recorded by the state government amnesty programme saying, ‘ if there is crisis in Rivers State there is a problem in Nigeria.”

On those who embraced the grace given by government, Wike assured them of support and rehabilitation and that government would protect them and assist them to lead better lives.

Earlier, Chairman of the State Amnesty Committee, Kenneth Chinda said the programme was a huge success considering the huge arms recovered with 22,430 cultists embracing the exercise.

A break down of the  programme indicate that among the cult groups that embraced amnesty Degbam had the highest figure of 4,329, followed by Icelanders with 6,985 members. Greenlanders had 948, Dewell 665, others 4,539.

A total of 911 assaulted arms were recovered, with 147 explosives and 7,661 assaulting ammunition.

Other arms recovered are sic general purpose machines guns, seven AK 47 rifles, 44 pump action, 1 fm rifle and 5 pistols among others.

Chinda explained that the success of the programme was a result intelligence and direct communication with leaders of the cult groups and physical reach out to those concerned.

He disclosed that cult groups exist in all the 23 local government areas, and that many that snowballed into sinister groups were mostly recruited as vigilante and community security forces.

The State Amnesty boss also blamed communal, chieftaincy, economic, and ‘sheer criminality’ as reasons for the swelling violence and cultism recorded in the state in recent times.

Chinda while admitting that  the exercise has brought peace, business and investment back state called on government not to rest but to train and rehabilitate the groups.

He announed that three venues at Leadership and Citizenship Centre atAluu, The Adolescent  Training Camp at Iriebe and the Orientation Camp at Etche have been selected as re-orientation camps and training for those who embraced the programme.