Two fake NSCDC operatives arrested in Delta

Two civilians impersonating personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) who specialised in
extorting money from tanker drivers at an illegal checkpoint along Jeddo road in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, have been arrested by security agents.

The Public Relations Officer, Emeke Peter, a Deputy Superintendent of the Corp confirmed it, in a statement on Sunday.

According to him, the suspects were caught red-handed fully kitted in uniform similar to that of the NSCDC regalia, at about 2300hrs (midnight).

The Corps spokesman who gave the suspects as Lucky Emofuoreta, 22 years and Goodness Osorochukwu Francis 25 years, said the fake NSCDC operatives were reportedly extorting money from the unsuspecting road users particularly truck and tankers drivers on that route.

He listed items recovered from them to be included: one Honda Odyssey bus with registration number KPR 113 SX, gold colour, one handcuff, a pair of jungle boots, and two jack knives amongst other unlawful items used for their nefarious activities.

Emeka said upon the complaints by members of the public over multiple checkpoints wrongly perceived to be men of the NSCDC, the State Commandant Akinsanya Iskilu Abiodun, ordered the HOD Intelligence and Investigation to deploy plain cloth officers on routine patrol and surveillance across the state to fish out the identities of those involved.

He disclosed that one of those deployments led to the arrest of the two suspects following an intelligence tip-off from men of the NSCDC.

Emeka maintained that the multiple checkpoints on the roads are not NSCDC officials, stressing that NSCDC operates within the law with total observance of the fundamental human rights of the citizenry.