- Governor Nyesom Wike is set to sign a bill to create Neighbourhood watch in his state
- The opposition party, APC, has however, kicked against the bill
- The APC said the bill will take away exclusive power to arm and security from the federal government
The All Progressives Congress (APC) urged the federal government to prevail on Governor Nyesom Wike not to sign the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Bill as passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly on February 15, 2018 into law.
The Guardian reports that Governor Wike raised the alarm over an alleged plot by opposition politicians to set up illegal vigilant groups to clash with the State Neighbourhood Watch and ensure that the police ban the new security outfit.
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The APC argued that the bill, if signed into law would violates the exclusivity of firearms to the federal government but the governor said the Neighbourhood Watch was strictly a security organisation that would support other security agencies with intelligence to better secure the state.
Wike made this statement on Wednesday, April 4, when the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone Six, Calabar, Usman Abubakar, visited the Government House, Port Harcourt.
Wike said the Neighbourhood Watch was similar to a security agency set up in Lagos State to support sister security agencies, declaring that the Rivers State Neighbourhood Watch had come to stay and that only a court of competent jurisdiction could stop its operations.
APC chairman Davies Ikanya, said it was imperative to stop Governor Wike from signing the bill because it would authorise the Neighbourhood Watch to carry arms, enter, search and arrest people without warrant.
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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com earlier reported that Governor Wike has promised to sign the death warrant of anyone convicted of kidnapping in the state.
The governor made the promise on Thursday, March 15, when he signed three new security-related bills into law.
He vowed that criminal activities in the state will be fought to a standstill by his administration.
NAIJ.com visits kidnappers' den discovered in Lagos on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng