The National Commandant of the Nigerian Peace Corps, Dickson Akoh, has defended his supporters who clashed with the Police in a bid to forcibly regain control of the headquarters of the paramilitary group on Thursday.
Security agencies sealed the group’s head office, in Abuja, in February 2017, arresting Akoh and over 40 other Peace Corps leaders taking them into custody on allegations that they had committed fraud and constituted a national security threat.
The Police kept the accused in custody for several days before they were eventually arraigned at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court. The court granted all the accused bail after taking their pleas.
However, the Peace Corps counter-sued for fundamental rights enforcement and claiming damages. Akoh also prayed the court to order the police to vacate its office.
At least two federal judges have ruled in favour of the Peace Corps and asked the police to leave the group’s office and stop harassing its members, but the police ignored the court orders, saying they had filed an appeal.
Akoh said the police did not file an appeal or a notice of a stay of execution.
The Peace Corps Bill has been passed by the National Assembly since last year, but the presidency only recently vetoed it, citing a lack of finance and potential security implication of creating another paramilitary group.
