Rivers communities live in fear, as vigilante groups handover arms

Following directives by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, that arms in the custody of vigilante groups across the country are retrieved, and a similar 21 days ultimatum  by the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Zaki Ahmed, to vigilante groups to handover their arms or face arrest, Rivers citizens are now living in fear.

Communities prone to cult activities and armed robbery attacks have described the decision of IGP as ill-fated, stressing that they would be at the mercies of criminals.

Africa update gathered that criminal groups are already making moves to resume attacks on some communities across the state. Our source did not however disclose the form or period of these alleged attacks.

You would recall that Africa Update had reported the indefinite strike embarked upon by the Diobu Vigilante Group, DVG,  following the IG’s directive to retrieve their arms.

Meanwhile, the Security Planning Advisory Council, OSPAC, a local vigilante group assisting in providing security at Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, has raised alarm that some big wigs who purportedly sponsored the late Don Waney and killings in ONELGA are not tired of their activities, adding that they want to resume killings in the area.

OSPAC in a statement by its Chairman, Professor Maxwell Ahiakwo (Associate), regretted that those individuals are not happy with the security achievement in ONELGA, adding that they are using all means to discredit OSPAC to enable them resume killings in the area.

Ahiakwo noted that OSPAC was neither created to victimise any individual nor for political reasons, adding that all the security agencies are aware of its tremendous achievements since inception.

He said: “We are aware that the sponsors of Don Waney are still very bitter with OSPAC for leading the onslaught against the late notorious criminal and his gang.

“All the propaganda in the media are planted by the sponsors and disciples of Don Waney aimed at twisting the truth to deceive the public.  They want OSPAC to be proscribed and banned from operations so they can resume their carnage against the good people of ONELGA.”