The Rivers State House of Assembly says a directive by the police, barring vigilante groups from using firearms, could hamper the state’s efforts at enhancing security.
The legislature, which recently passed into law the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Bill 2018, urged the police to reconsider the decision.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Communications, Hon Sam Ogeh said the order smacked of attempt to preempt the efficacy of the law.He stated this while reacting to the constitution of a task force by Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr Zaki Ahmed. The task force is expected to enforce a directive by the Inspector General of Police requiring vigilante groups to surrender their arms within 21 days.
Section Two of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Bill permits the groups to bear arms in the discharge of their duties.Ogeh said: “I have not quite come to terms with the rationale. If the police say they want to carry out their right to mop up arms in the society and they think it is the best for them, so be it.
We have considered that with the way things are going, we would need additional hands to assist the police in securing our communities. But the police do not see it that way and have chosen to sabotage it. There is nothing we can do about it.”
He said if the executive arm of government thinks the law is not good enough, it should have approached a court of competent jurisdiction to declare it null and void or make the court declare that the law is not in the best interest of the society.Police Public Relations Officer, Omoni Nnamdi, said the task force has been mandated to embark on raids and cordon and search operations on premises where prohibited firearms are kept. He said anybody found with such weapons after the expiration of the ultimatum would be prosecuted.
Menawhile, the Rivers State Police Command says a task force team to recover illegally acquired firearms in the state in compliance with the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris’s directive, has been constituted.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Nnmadi Omoni, in a statement issued yesterday in Port Harcourt, directed any person or group of persons bearing prohibited firearms, any locally fabricated arms, including pump action, double/single barrel guns or any modified weapons capable of causing harm or breach of the peace, law and order in the state to submit same to the task force within 21 days.
The statement warned vigilante groups, Neighbourhood Watch group, watch night men, hunters or any group or association under any capacity or guise other than statutory security agencies recognised and gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to bear arms of specified category, who are currently possessing and having prohibited/illegal firearms for whatever purpose, to surrender same before the expiration of the 21 days notice.
Omoni further stated that the operation of the task force, among others, was aimed at the enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired weapons, and to enable the police deal decisively with the herders and farmers menace, kidnapping, armed robbery, cattle rustling, militancy and terrorism.
According to him, “the task force has been mandated to embark on raids, cordon and search, seizure from any premises, hideouts, dwelling houses or buildings or sites (completed or under construction) or any other location where the illegal (prohibited) firearms are kept or where there is reasonable suspicion that such weapons are being kept or used.
“Therefore, anybody found with prohibited firearms after the expiration of the 21 days notice, which commenced on 22nd February, 2018, will be arrested, investigated and prosecuted”, he said.
He charged members of the public who notice anyone bearing, possessing or in custody of any of the above mentioned prohibited firearms in violation of the Firearms Act in any part of the state to promptly report such to the Head of the Task Force, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations via the following numbers: 08035873235, 08032003514 and 08026915462.
The state police spokesperson assured the commitment of the command under the watch of the Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, of adequate security, promising to make the state conducive for all to live and do business.