Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said the state government will not permit the proliferation of vigilante groups, stating that youths interested in helping build the state’s security architecture should join the state’s Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency.
This came as Traditional Rulers of Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas of the state submitted arms retrieved from repentant criminals in the area, after a local amnesty programme.
Speaking at a brief ceremony where he received the Ekpeye Traditional Rulers from Ahoada East and Ahoada councils at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Wike said this decision became necessary after OSPAC from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state started over-stepping its boundaries.
He said: “I am being very careful about vigilante groups in all the councils because of what OSPAC was doing. The operatives are now going beyond their boundaries.
“We will reintegrate OSPAC into the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency. Anyone who wants to support the security structure should join the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency. We will not approve local vigilante for different councils.”
