Rivers Civil Society Organizations (RIVCSO) has strongly condemned the alarming rate of illegal task force members harassing and extorting residents of Port Harcourt and the neighbouring Local Government Areas in Rivers State.
The group in a statement issued on Friday and signed by its Public Relations Officer, Tuka Loanyie, called on the Rivers State Governor and Comissioner of Police to take immediate action to address the issue before it leads to death of citizens and breakdown of law and order.
The statement read, “The incessant complaints from citizens residing and doing business in the area have become unbearable, and we can no longer remain silent.
“The daily harassment, intimidation, and extortion of bus drivers, taxi drivers, private car drivers, and business owners in the Port Harcourt metropolis are unacceptable, to say the least and primitive at worst.
“We are aware of the numerous complaints from citizens who have fallen victim to these miscreants, and we are also aware that these individuals are being backed by politicians and their friends in the state. These individuals have made themselves law unto themselves by creating illegal task forces members who go about harassing citizens and create illegal parks/garage littered in different part of the state.
“The most notorious of them are the ones located at Rumuola, Garrison, CFC, Water Lines, Artillery, and Eleme junction. Whilst this has been there during the administration of the immediate past State Government, there seem to be more emboldened illegal taskforce operations immediately after the election of these new local government Chairmen.
“We call on the Rivers State Governor to take immediate action to address this issue before it leads to death of citizens and breakdown of law and order by disbanding all form of task force in the State and put in place a more organized traffic Marshalls that will follow the rule of law and be accountable to government and Rivers people.
“The activities of the current taskforces are an embarrassment to the state and are putting Rivers people in bad light before foreigners and non indigenes who come into the state for one business or the other.
“We also call on the Commissioner of Police to ensure that those responsible for these illegal activities are arrested and prosecuted.
“Furthermore, we urge more residents and commercial drivers who are victims of this menace to come forward for us to petition the Commissioner of Police and mobilize a peaceful protest to Government House, where we will amplify the voices of the victims and demand an end to these illegal activities.
“Something needs to be done now to prevent further escalation of this issue. We will not stand idly while citizens are going about their lawful activities, which are harassed and extorted in this harsh economy.
“A serene Rivers State is possible!
