Police, civil defence corps differ over arrest of NSCDC personnel

A CRISIS seems imminent between men of the Nigeria Police, Zone 9, Umuahia, Abia State and the Anambra State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over the arrest of six NSCDC men for allegedly escorting a tanker laden with adulterated petrol.

While the police alleged complicity on the part of the NSCDC personnel, Head, Intelligence Unit, Abia State Command of the NSCDC, Iyobosa Oshodi, accused the police of victimising NSCDC personnel on their legitimate duty.

Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the zone, Mr. Olusegun Efuntayo, told reporters in his office at the weekend that the six NSCDC personnel were being detained at the zones headquarters in Umuahia with their official NSCDC Pick-Up van with registration number CD 076 AO1.

He said they were arrested on October 12, 2008 by operatives of the zones Special Anti-Robbery/Pipeline Vandalisation Squad with the assistance of the Ihiala Divisional Police Patrol team near the Urasi River in Ihiala, Anambra State.

Efuntayo said: These Civil Defence officers are said to be attached to the Anti-Pipeline Vandalisation unit of the NSCDC Awka and were arrested while escorting a Tanker Lorry with the registration number XA 617 EHR, loaded with petroleum product suspected to be adulterated.

He added that one Robin Pumping Machine, two stretches of hose andfive empty jerry-cans were recovered at the scene while the six arrested NSCDC men, the tanker driver, his conductor and another man were moved to Umuahia where they are helping the Police in their investigations.

But one of the arrested NSCDC men told reporters that they were on official duty when they accosted the tanker. According to him, while they were trailing the tanker in order to stop and check it at the next security checkpoint, some policemen swooped on them, accusing them of aiding the tanker owners.

But Oshodi corroborated the NSCDC mens account, asserting that they were arrested while on their legitimate duty.

His words: Our integrity is at stake. Why did the police arrest our men and left the owners of the said tanker? We have pleaded with the Police to release our men and pledged to produce them anytime. Those arrested are from our anti-pipeline vandalisation unit. We shall take this matter to the federal level.

Efuntayo also paraded one Mrs. Pat. Kenneth Duru for alleged gunrunning.

According to him, she was arrested on October 3, 2008 at about 10 a.m.at 5, Finbars Road, Umuahia, following a tip-off during which one model JCP Pistol No 244859, three model C.9 MM Luger Pistol Nos.1299375, P864890 and P 1299374, three 50 Rounds of 4053 W Ammunition, four 50 Rounds of 380 Auto Ammunition and five 50 Rounds of .9mm Ammunition were recovered.