The commandant general of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr Ade Abolurin, narrowly escaped assassination on Friday when a team of policemen attempted to open fire on him while on an inspection of forfeited items in Ikorodu area of Lagos.
The NSCDC boss who on inspection and assessment tour of disposable forfeited items along with other committee members from the Nigerian Army, EFCC, ICPC, office of the Attorney General of the federation among others came under siege when a suspected police inspector attempted to open fire on them.
According to a statement by Emmanuel Okeh, NSCDC, spokesperson, the attack was orchestrated by the arrest of some suspected vandals and oil thieves on the waters in possession of petroleum products in several jerry cans, including two big Cotonou boats.
The suspected police team who came in an unmarked danfo bus carrying AK47 riffles challenged the Abolurin and his team that they were in charge, so, he has no right to visit the area because it belongs to the police.
The committee which the CG, NSCDC is the chairman was constituted by the office of the Attorney General of the federation and have for some time now been on assessment tour of the country for disposable forfeited items used for vandalism of critical infrastructure.
However, attempt by members of the committee to caution the officer was rebuffed by him and members of his team claiming that they are on a mission and warned the team to steer clear.
Okeh said that further investigation reveals that a distress call was put across to the police team by the arrested vandals and upon arrival, their aim was to set them off the hook of NSCDC by threatening to shoot the CG who masterminded the arrest of their partners in this illicit business.
Besides, the NSCDC, said that the mission of the police team was to prevent the committee from confiscating the recovered items which has become exhibits in event of prosecution.
It is however unclear if the suspected officer was working on a written script by a superior authority or just acting in his own capacity as a vandal in uniform.
“What is however clear is that, this is the umpteenth time that officers and men of the corps has been brazenly harassed, molested, assassinated or maimed by officers of the Nigeria police in recent time in the cause of carrying out their legitimate assignments.
“Still fresh in our memory is the killing of two men of the anti vandal squad of the Lagos state command of NSCDC namely AIC Gabriel Adaji and IC Innocent Akegbe by the police in 2013,” the statement said.
The NSCDC reiterated that the Act establishing it is unequivocal in its assignment of the duty of protection of critical infrastructure of government and national assets to the corps with tremendous record of achievement by the organization as evident in the various arrest of vandals in different parts of the country and prosecution of same to serve as deterrent to others.
It said further that its mandate is to ensure that the “President’s effort in ensuring that life becomes more meaningful for Nigerians through the provision of basic amenities such as unfettered supply of petroleum products, uninterrupted power supply among others is actualized,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the police hierarchy has assured that the allegations raised by the NSCDC concerning the attempted murder of the NSCDC boss by an unnamed Police Inspector would be investigated and findings made public in due course.
Police spokesperson, Emmanuel Ojukwu said in a statement late on Friday that “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a press release issued, Friday, 22nd August, 2014 by the spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), CSC Emmanuel Okeh, in which he alleged that an unnamed Police Inspector single-handedly “attempted to open fire” on the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Ade Abolurin and over 200 of his committee members, including representatives of the “Nigerian Army, EFCC, ICPC and office of the Attorney-General of the Federation among others.”
“The allegation is being investigated by the Force and the outcome will be made public soonest,” Ojukwu said.
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