Re: We don’t need Nigerian Peace Corps

It read with consternation an Editorial with the above title, which appeared in Daily Trust of Tuesday, March 7, 2017. It is sad to note that an elite newspaper like the Daily Trust would agree to be used by enemies of the Nigerian Peace Corps and by extension, enemies of Nigerian Youths in such a distasteful manner.

Reading through the entire editorial, it is glaring even to a drooling imbecile that it was simply the Voice of Jacob, but the hand obviously belongs to Esau (read enemies of the Corps). The editorial in question was a rehash of the baseless allegations leveled against the Corps by the Police, which has been appropriately responded to (in Sunday Leadership of 5th March; Peoples Daily of 6th March; Thisday and Blueprint Newspapers of 7th March). Those interested in knowing the position of issues as epitomized in the response of the Corps to the allegations of the Police, which several media organizations have been recycling, should read any of the aforementioned newspapers.

But for purpose of clarity, I wish to respond to the inexplicable position of Daily Trust on this sensitive issue. Judging from the contents of the editorial, it was easy to conclude that it is either that the media organization is not properly aware of the core mandates of the Corps or it simply pandered to the inordinate wishes of the enemies of the Corps in arriving at that sorry conclusion.

The Core mandates of the Corps include: to develop, empower and provide gainful employment to the youths in other (sic) to facilitate peace, volunteerism, community services, neighborhood watch, nation-building and for other related matters.

For anybody or organization to give kudos to the Police for violating the sanctity of the Corps in such an unholy manner speaks volumes about the despicable level we have sunk as a nation.

In it 18 years plus of existence, the Corps has never claimed to be or acted like a paramilitary organization. So, why is this allegation been recycled?

In 2010, the Federal High Court of Nigeria made a categorical pronouncement on the Legal Status of the Corps in the matter of Incorporated Trustees of Peace Corps of Nigeria and 4 Others v InspectorGeneral of Police and 3 Others in Suit NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/231/2010. It is interesting to note also that suit, which was decided in favour of the Corps and has not been appealed till date, has the National Security Adviser as a party to it.

Similarly, in another matter of INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF THE PEACE CORPS OF NIGERIA AND 6 OTHERS V THE STATE SECURITY SERVICE (SSS) AND 2 OTHERS IN SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/481/2012, judgment was delivered on 22nd day of April 2013 by a Court of competent jurisdiction in favour of the Corps.

In another SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/ CS/613/07, the Federal High Court of Nigeria expressly stated that the Peace Corps of Nigeria cannot be constantly harassed. In the same vein, an official letter dated 25th April 2008 and titled POLICE INVESTIGATION REPORT. RE: REQUEST FOR POLICE CLEARANCE/OR EXTRACT OF INVESTIGATION REPORT, exonerated the Corps from criminal activitiesand that it does not constitute any security threat to the nation.

For an organization like Peace Corps of Nigeria that has fulfilled every degree of righteousness in terms of registration, operation and obedience to the laws of the land to be constantly harassed in such a reckless manner is simply alarming. E.O. Rogers, Abuja.