Police insists on closure of Peace Corps building as CSO’s, groups intervene

Even though the Nigerian Police has for the upteenth time received court orders to unseal the headquarters of the Peace Corp of Nigeria (PCN) located in Jabi Abuja, they have remained adamant to obey.

It was a drama scene Friday when over eight trucks of police officers were deployed to ensure that the “order from above” that the building remain under lock and key is complied with, this is according to the police officer who led the team.

The PCN Commandant Ambassador Dickson Akoh, had at about 9:am in the morning led his officers and several civil society groups on a peaceful protest at the entrance of the building, demanding that the office be reopened after series of court judgments in their favour.

Members of some Civil Society groups in solidarity with the PCN opened the gate of the building, gaining entrance to the premises, but the police advised them and members of the Peace Corps to leave the environment.

It would be recalled that the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Justice and Equity, had on January 25, 2018, petitioned the House, accusing the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, of flagrantly disobeying subsisting court orders in favour of the Peace Corps.

House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions directed the police to vacate the headquarters of the PCN which has been under lock and key since February 28, 2017.

Angered by the development, the members of the group of good governance protesters, ‘OurMumuDonDo’, led by Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy visited the scene, condemning  the action of the police.
Nigeria belongs to all us and not for some few criminals. Injustice to one is injustice to all. If we allow this act to continue in this country then it will continue. From today we shall all rise to say no to injustice, enough is enough,” he said. 
Another member of the group Deji Adeyanju, also condemned the police for refusing to obey the court order, saying it is shameful that those who are supposed to ensure law and order are now breaking the law.

“We do not understand why the IGP and the police force continue to seal this office. We would stop at nothing to make sure that our country becomes a democracy indeed where the rules and regulations of our land are obeyed. We have come here to show solidarity and to tell Nigerians that we will not sit by or watch evil happen.” 

The National Commandant had lamented unfair treatment by the police, saying they were not at the building to fight but only to reopen their office as the court had directed.

“We are here t take possession of our property. This is a rented property. On February became a year and we have lost an annual rent of N13.8 million. 

“The court has said this property has nothing to do with the alleged allegation leveled against me. It is surprising that in the court ruling, the police denied that they never sealed our office that they are just here to protect it. 

“We are not against the police protecting this premises but they should allow us to have access to our office. We are not here to fight police. If you go into this building now it has been highly vandalized. They have pulled down the security fence here. They have removed all the uniform and medical equipments here,” he lamented.

After much intervention by the Charly Boy’s OurMumuDonDo group, the PCN officers and civil society groups left the place.

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