Drama as police prevent reopening of Peace Corps headquarters
There was drama at the headquarters of Peace Corps of Nigeria in Abuja as civil society organisations clashed with the police over an attempt to reopen the premises.
Last week, a federal high court in Abuja ordered the police to unseal the premises which had been cordoned off since February.
After the court ruling, Dickson Akoh, Peace Corps commandant, had said he will resume work at the organisation’s headquarters this week.
The CSOs, under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Justice and Equity (CCSOJE ), arrived the Peace Corps headquarters on Thursday in solidarity with the organisation’s workers as they had come to re-open the place.
On arrival at the premises, they opened the main gate of the two-storey building but were refused entrance by officers of the Nigeria police who said they are yet to get a directive to leave the premises.
Danlami Taura, a chief superintendent of police, who led the policemen, said the operation department of the force has not been served with the court order to unseal the place.
He further said there was no need to allow them to enter the building if they will not be able to work in the offices.
But Edward Omaga, leader of the CSOs, insisted that the police must respect the court order and vacate the building.
After their protest fell on deaf ears, the CSOs said they will return to the premises on Friday and on subsequent days until the police vacate the corps headquarters.
It’s a sad one here as Nigerian Police who are supposed to be law abiding are the same people or group of persons breaking the law. Is the Police or the IG above the law? No wonder they were rated the worst. People are not blind, they’re watching.