Police Close Down Peace Corps’ Camp

BEVERLY HILLS, February 18, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Police Force, has shut down a training camp of Peace Corps of Nigeria in Offa local government area, Kwara state, describing it as illegal.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, who confirmed the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Kwara state, Olushola Amore, viewed the camp as illegal, hence the shutdown.

Okasanmi explained that there was no information to the effect that a camp will open in Offa to train anyone.

“We were not officially informed about any camp in Offa and we don't have any information about any organization organising any camp there,” the statement read.

“There should be no training or camping of any organization without the knowledge of the police. No organization has secured any clearance to organize any camp in Offa.

“When we got information that there is a camp going on somewhere in Offa and since no one informed us about any, we had to close the camp.

“Doing this, we considered the security situation of the country because we don't know the pedigree of the organization conducting the camp.

“Our action was to just ensure there is no breakdown of law and order.

“If we have a directive from Abuja that any camping will hold, there is no problem because we don't have any issue with anyone.”

However, the Kwara Adjutant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dr. Folorunsho Peter, denied the police allegation that his command did not inform it of its orientation camp.

“We have properly informed them of our plans, we served them our time table for the orientation camp,” he said.

“We even invited the police commissioner to come and deliver lecture, as well as DSS, NDLEA and some other organizations.

“The camp Commandant came to Ilorin to see the Commissioner of Police, though I was not with them but was told they had a positive discussion.”

Peter said they had to allow the over 5, 000 applicants, from across the country, who came for the orientation in Offa, to go off camp, so as not to have any confrontation with the police.

THEWILL recalls that the National Assembly had in November 2016 passed the bill establishing the Peace Corps of Nigeria and it is currently awaiting presidential assent.

The Peace Corps is a volunteer programme run by the United States Government since 1961 and to date, nearly 220,000 Americans have joined the Corps and are serving in 141 countries.