The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ebonyi Command, has said that one James Mbah, arrested in Ebonyi, who claimed to be a staff of the NSCDC was an impersonator.
The NSCDC Ebonyi Commandant, Lucy Samu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Sunday that the suspect had been quarantined to ascertain his COVID-19 status.
NAN reports that the suspect, Mr James Mbah, was arrested at the Timber Shed Junction on Afikpo/Abakaliki Expressway on April 30 by officials of the state’s Neighbourhood Watch while conveying two persons on his motorcycle.
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Mbah, who hails from Ishieke in Ebonyi Local Council of Ebonyi, claimed to be an official of NSCDC in Anambra.
Samu told NAN that Mbah was not an officer of the corps but an ‘impersonator,’ who wore NSCDC uniform to beat the state’s restriction of movement order.
Samu said that she had inquired from the Anambra Command of the corps and was informed that Mbah was not staffed there nor was he on its payroll.
“The Anambra commandant said he also inquired from the Divisional Office, where Mbah claimed he was attached, he was not also on the staff list.
“He is also not staffed in the Ebonyi office or on our payroll. He (allegedly) wore the NSCDC uniform and paraded himself as our officer but he is not one of us,” she said.
The NSCDC Ebonyi commandant said that the suspect had been quarantined and would receive all necessary checks before being prosecuted.
“This is to ascertain his COVID-19 status and if negative, he will be handed over to us for prosecution but if positive, will receive the necessary treatment before prosecution.
“I have advised the COVID-19 taskforce team and relevant security agencies to properly check the identities of anyone who claims to be security personnel.
“They should also demand a travel pass from the head of the concerned security outfit,” she said.
Mr Stanley Okoro-Emegha, State Commissioner for Border Peace and Internal Security, confirmed to NAN that Mbah claimed to be attached to the NSCDC office in Umunze, Anambra.
“The state government’s directive is that any Ebonyi indigene who gets to any of its boundaries would not be sent back but brought to its withholding centre in Abakaliki for quarantine and testing.
“Mbah will, however, be prosecuted by the NSCDC as the state commandant informed us that he was not their staff,” Okoro-Emegha said.