*They are training for Rivers security – Governor Wike
*Deny Army’s comparison of ‘militia’ to Benue, Taraba, Wike challenged
A fresh illegal militia training camp has been uncovered in a Rivers State community where over 100 trainees were said to be undergoing military-like training.
Army troops on guard.
The Six Division of Nigerian Army made this known in a Thursday’s statement by its Deputy Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, copy of which was made available to The DEFENDER.
According to the statement, troops of the Army Division discovered illegal militia training camp at Nonwa Gbam (NYSC Orientation Camp) in Tai Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
It will recalled some 72 hours ago the Ogoni Elders Forum accused the Federal Ministry of Environment of deploying troops to Ogoni communities ostensibly to provide “security services” for the clean-up and remediation.
Colonel Iliyasu said the soldiers discovered the camp during a routine surveillance of the area.
“The troops met over 100 recruits undergoing military-type of training,” he said.
“Preliminary investigations into the discovery have commenced in conjunction with sister security agencies in the state to fish out the sponsors of the militia and the training camp.”
He added similar illegal militia training camps were discovered and disbanded in Benue and Taraba states earlier in the year, and measures were promptly taken to forestall breach of security and safety of citizens.
In the meantime, Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has reacted to the development, saying the Nigerian Army are now a political weapon against defenceless Nigerians.
He stated that the Army’s disruption of the training camp in Rivers State meant for Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency Training programme is the worst act of irresponsibility, aimed at instigating insecurity in the State.
“The Army is not concerned about the killing of soldiers in Borno. They are only interested in creating insecurity in Rivers State,” he said.
“If you don’t want Rivers State to be safe, then Nigeria will not be safe. They want to use their guns against us.”
Governor Wike said that Zamfara and Kogi states have vigilante outfits, which were commissioned by the Army and the APC-led Federal Government. He wondered why the Army would stoop so low to disrupt a legal training exercise.
The Governor did not, however, react to neither deny the Army’s comparison of the newly discovered “militia training camp” to those in which killers of Benue and Taraba states were trained.
