NSCDC officials Beat up Newspaper vendors, extort cash from them

The operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on Tuesday allegedly beat up three vendors, seized newspapers and extorted cash from them.It was learnt that the problem started on Monday when one of the vendors, Mr. John Peter, from the Ebughu, Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, left Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat for The PUNCH’s office in Uyo to obtain some copies of the newspaper.Peter, who spoke with our correspondent, stated that when he got back to the secretariat around 2pm, he was in a hurry because he needed to reach out to those he had supplied newspapers to in the morning before they close from work.

According to him, as he was entering the secretariat, one of the NSCDC men accosted him and demanded to know why he was selling newspapers in the secretariat.

He said, “He asked if I was aware that people should not hawk in the secretariat. I made him realise that the order was not for the vendors and that I have been selling papers in the secretariat for the past four years.

“Immediately, he put his hands in his pocket and brought out a teargas and sprayed it into my eyes. I fell down. I was coughing profusely and asked him why he behaved like that.

“On Tuesday (yesterday), I went back to the secretariat where I sold the day’s newspapers. They did not come after me until I crossed to the other side to have my breakfast.

“I heard my brother and his friend shouting that I should run. I looked back and saw many of them running after me with guns. I fled, but they caught my brother and his friend. They beat them up for allowing me to escape.

“I ran to a police checkpoint at Atiku Abubakar Highway. One of the policemen asked me what happened and I narrated my ordeal to him. He led me to where the NSCDC operatives were.

“They ignored the policeman and one of them raised his gun to hit me. I dodged, but the gun hit the policeman.

“The policeman asked me to call my boss, Uwe. He came with the chairman of the Newspapers Distribution Agencies Association, Mr. Ezodom. They rescued me.”

The other, Mr. Lucky Peter, 20, said the NSCDC operatives seized him and his friend, John Mark, for alerting Peter to their plan.

He stated that the operatives beat them with the butt of their guns and they collected undisclosed amount from them.

“The NSCDC men tortured and beat us with the butt of their gun for making my brother to escape them. My two eyes have been affected.

“They took us to their station. They wrote undertaking notes and forced us to sign them. The notes read that we attacked the operatives. We had no option but to sign as they pointed guns at us,” he said.

The Public Relations Officer, NSCDC, Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr. Ime White, said he had yet to be briefed on the development.

He promised to get back to our correspondent as soon as he was able to get the details of what had happened.