The Suleja Emirate Council in Niger State on Monday said an investigation has been launched into the arrest and detention of three corps members by the police in the state over alleged armed robbery.

The Emir of Zazzau in Suleja, Alhaji Muhammad Awwal Ibrahim, said this when the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, visited him at the Palace.

NAN recalls that the management of the scheme on Sept. 11 issued a statement confirming the release of two corps members arrested by the state police over alleged armed robbery.

The statement said that the action taken by the management came after its attention was drawn to several media reports on the matter.

The Emir expressed regrets over the incident, adding that media reports on the incident was damaging and had been ‘blown out of proportion.’

Ibrahim attributed the turn of events to poor communication between the NYSC and the emirate council, urging management to improve on its communication channels to forestall any future incidence.

“We in the state value the NYSC as much as the Police because they all work to ensure the development of the state one way or another.

“When this incident occurred, the NYSC did not inform me or the emirate council about the matter so that it could be resolved promptly.

“Before I delve into the details of this matter I want to assure the NYSC that such will not happen again. I am sorry that such a thing occurred.”

Ibrahim assured the director-general and corps members serving in the state that an investigation had been launched to ascertain the cause and subsequently resolve all misunderstandings.

The traditional ruler said that no corps member had been subjected to such maltreatment in the past by the local vigilante or the state police.

“I am passionate about the welfare and safety of corps members and I cannot tolerate such a thing happening to them.

“I was not informed immediately the incident happened that is why the emirate council has not taken any active step so far to resolve the matter.

“I was told that it was a case of alleged armed robbery; I assure you that I am investigating the matter and examining the situation. Such a thing will not happen again I assure you.”

Earlier, the director-general had appealed to the Emir to educate his subjects in order to forestall the likelihood of future occurrence.

Olawumi, who was represented by Mr. Mike Ikhide, the Director of Corps Welfare and Inspectorate of the corps, described the incident as unfortunate as corps members nationwide were working to contribute their quota to socio-economic development.

He assured corps members in the state that the incident was an isolated case as there had never been a report of maltreatment against any corps member by the local vigilante or police.

The director-general said the accused corps members were arrested by the local vigilante in Suleja, adding that two were released while the third was still in police custody as they were still investigating.

“We intervened and two have been released but one is still being held by the police who say they are still carrying out further investigations.

“The two that were released, the police said that it was a case of stolen identity. This visit today is to seek the assistance of the Emir in resolving the matter and ensure the release of the third corps member.”

He assured all corps members that the scheme would continue to make efforts towards ensuring they were not subjected to such treatment while in their host community.

He said that the scheme had engaged the police, army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Directorate of State Security Service.

Olawumi said community and opinion leaders as well as corps employers had also been engaged by the scheme to ensure the safety of all corps members.

“We will not allow any corps member to be maltreated in any form in any state. The Emir has assured of proper investigation so I urge you all to go about your normal duties.

“Security is everybody’s business now but we all have the responsibility to look out for ourselves also. Do not go out at night or at odd hours and if you do ensure that someone is aware of where you are.”

He assured that the welfare of all corps members was central to the administration of the scheme, urging corps members who were sick to seek medical assistance at any government hospital.

Olawumi advised corps members to desist from filing fake reports of ill health as cover to travel out of their places of assignment, adding that the scheme would not tolerate such behaviour in the future.

He said that the scheme had lost corps members and investigations revealed that they travelled out of their places of assignment without taking permission. (NAN)

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