The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) yesterday said its Commandant-General, Dr. Ade Abolurin, narrowly escaped death when a Police Inspector attempted to open fire on him.
The Inspector and some policemen were said to be angry over the arrest of some suspected vandals and oil thieves.
A statement by the Civil Defence Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Okeh, said it was 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.
The statement said: “The Commandant-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr Ade Abolurin, who, on an 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 at Ikorodu, Lagos State.
“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 CG that they are 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 has, 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 here so everyone should steer clear.
“Further investigation revealed that a distress call was put across to the suspected 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 and secondly to prevent the committee from confiscating the recovered items which have 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 have 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.
Force spokesperson, Emmanuel Ojukwu, a Deputy Commissioner (DCP), denied the incident when The Nation called him on the phone.
He said: “If he was shot at, he would either have been dead or hospitalised. But anyway, nothing like that happened”.
