DSS arrests Peace Corps Commandant, 48 others

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday night, arrested the national commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Mr. Dickson Akoh and 48 other national executives from the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were also taken away to an unknown destination.

The PCN Public Relations Officer, Ms Milicent Umoru, confirmed to the Daily Times that the commandant and the 48 officers of the corps were arrested by the DSS operatives who were accompanied by the police and army.

Umoru disclosed that three of their officers were beaten and brutalized to comma and have been admitted and were receiving treatment at the national hospital in Abuja.

She also disclosed that the security operatives have laid siege on their headquarters and other offices and have denied them access to the office.

However, the police on Wednesday paraded the Commandant and 48 other national executives at the force headquarters in Abuja saying that their operation was illegal.

Meanwhile, some youth groups in the FCT have described the arrest of the national commandant of the PCN as an affront on the sensibilities of the Nigerian youths.

The youth groups that included the National Youth Council (NYC), National Youth Democratic Congress, Middle Belt Christian Youth Vanguard, Media Network Against Corruption and Nigerian Advocate called for the immediate release of Akoh and others.

Okoronkwo James, who spoke on behalf of the others at a press briefing said “the arrest of Mr. Akoh is a direct attack on the sensibilities of Nigerian youths who see him as the best thing to have happened to them since the nation’s independence.

“The arrest was made without any valid warrant of arrest neither was any reason given by the security agencies.
“For these agencies to have invaded peaceful, non-arms bearing organization like PCN in large numbers and fully armed is tantamount to killing an ant with a sledge hammer.

“For an organisation that is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) under the Companies and Allied Act and whose bill has just been passed by both chambers of the National Assembly which is awaiting Presidential assent to be treated in this manner speaks volume about the despicable level to which we have sunk as a nation,” the youth groups said.

Recall that there had been a report of friction and alleged fracas between the PCN and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Osun state in January to which the defence corps, through its spokesperson, Mr. Emmanuel Okeh, came out to deny.

Also, the police later shut down the Peace Corps’ training camp in Kwara state, saying it was an illegal camp. The Commissioner of Police in Kwara state, Olushola Amore had while addressing newsmen said that the force shut down a training camp of Peace Corps of Nigeria in Offa local government area of the state, describing it as illegal.

In the Bwari Area Council of the FCT, the police also attacked the Peace Corps during a training exercise.

The arrest came weeks after the Senate and the House of Representatives harmonised the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill to give the group, which had operated as a volunteer organisation for 18 years, government backing.

It was gathered that the DSS and police submitted memoranda to the National Assembly against the establishment of the Peace Corps, but the lawmakers went ahead with the passage of the bill, anyway.

The bill is expected to be forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent, although it is not clear if the president will support the creation of another paramilitary agency.

It was not immediately clear if the arrests had anything to do with security agencies’ opposition to the legalisation of the Peace Corps.

The raid occurred around 11:30 p.m. late Tuesday when Mr. Akoh was holding a meeting with national executives of the Corps who were in Abuja for the commissioning of a new national headquarters in Utako District.

“It was around 11: 30 last night when were saw men from the police, Army and the SSS at our new office.

“They said the commissioner of Police, (FCT Command), sent them to arrest our commandant. But he explained to them that he already had a pending appointment with the Inspector-General of Police for 9:00 a.m. Wednesday,” one Peace Corps official said.

The officer said the police team was led by M.D. Garba, an assistant commissioner of police.

A witness in the area said she saw soldiers taking strategic positions around the premises. She said the soldiers were led by a major and they came in three Army vans.

“DSS operatives also came there in their own vehicle,” she added.

The officers said Mr. Akoh and other peace corps members were asked to line up and ordered into waiting vehicles.
Lead physician for the peace corps, Kingsley Ezeadireje, said that the injured were not trying to resist arrest or fight the operatives.

“They were only asking if the officers were there to arrest their commandant or not. Then the security officers that came started using their guns to hit our men until they started bleeding,” Mr. Ezeadireje said.

The activities of the peace corps had become a focus of the public since the National Assembly endorsed it late last year.