DSS arrests Peace Corps Commandant, Dickson Akoh, 40 others

Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, have, Tuesday night, allegedly arrested the National Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Mr. Dickson Akoh and over 40 other members of the Corps.
Disclosing this to newsmen, PCN Public Relations Officer, Milicent Umoru, said over 40 officers of the corps were arrested by the operatives who were accompanied by the police and army. She added that the Commandant, Mr. Akoh is still in detention in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.
Another member of the corps who did not mention his name but was an eyewitness to the raid said, “”We suddenly saw a detachment of armed security operatives asking everybody to lie face down. They asked the commandant to follow them, and he obeyed, but some of the officers said that they want to follow the commandant and the security operatives started beating up everybody, including state commandants.”
He also said that “One of the assaulted officers was a female. She was repeatedly hit with a gun butt until she lost consciousness. She was later rushed to the National Hospital.”
File: Peace-Corps
Recall that there had been a reports of friction and alleged fracas between Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Osun in January to which the Defence Corps, through its Spokesperson, Mr Emmanuel Okeh came out to deny.
Recall also that the police later shut down the Peace Corps’ training camp in Kwara state, saying it was an illegal camp.
The Commissioner of Police in Kwara state, Olushola Amore had while addressing newsmen said that the force shut down a training camp of Peace Corps of Nigeria in Offa local government area of the state, describing it as illegal.
But the Senate had in Dec. 2016, passed the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill to empower the youth and operate as a security outfit under the Ministry of Interior.
The bill for that act establishing PCN is currently waiting for presidential assent. But during the public hearing on the bill by the National Assembly, the Nigerian Police Force strongly opposed it saying it will amount to an unnecessary duplication of Police duties.