The Delta State Community Security Corps has decried what it described as years of neglect by the state government, revealing that one of its operatives who was shot during the rescue of four kidnapped victims received no financial support from the government, forcing members of the corps to raise more than ₦4 million for his treatment.
Speaking on behalf of the corps, in an exclusive chat with The Trumpet, the Second-in-Command of the Ughelli North Unit, Lucky Akene, said the incident underscores the poor welfare of members who continue to risk their lives in the fight against crime, despite remaining unpaid for more than two years.
He appealed to the Delta State government to restore their allowances and integrate the corps into the proposed state police structure.
Akene said the Delta State Community Security Corps was established during the administration of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, following the passage of the enabling law by the Delta State House of Assembly.
“After the law establishing the corps was passed, everybody was documented in Asaba. We were given boots, uniforms and identity cards. Accounts were opened for us with UBA, and we were paid for about three or four months,” he said.
According to him, the payments were subsequently discontinued without explanation, leaving members to continue providing security services on a voluntary basis.
“Presently, it is over two years since the payments stopped. Nobody seems to care despite the work we are doing. There is no police division that cannot testify to the work of the Delta State Community Security Corps. We work with all the divisions,” he said.
Recalling one of the corps’ operations, Akene said members successfully rescued four kidnapped victims from a forest hideout at Ododako, but one operative sustained a gunshot wound during the mission.
“I can remember when we went to Ododako. Four people had been kidnapped—two women and two men. We rescued them from the bush, but one of my boys was shot in the leg,” he stated.
He said the injured operative was later visited at Central Hospital, Ughelli, by then Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, but the government did not bear the cost of his treatment.
“Okowa came to visit him at the hospital. He also gave money to the patients in the ward. So why should we now be neglected?” he asked.
Akene disclosed that members of the corps had to contribute funds for the officer’s medical treatment.
“We spent over ₦4 million treating that leg because it was an AK-47 gunshot injury. We were not refunded. Not one kobo was given to us,” he said.
He lamented that many members of the corps continue to put their lives on the line, despite having families to cater for and receiving no remuneration.
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“If these people are not maintained, they have wives and children who depend on them. Yet, they continue to work voluntarily to ensure crime is reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.
Akene said the corps has repeatedly approached the authorities over the stoppage of their allowances but received no explanation.
“We went to Asaba several times. Before we collected our identity cards, we kept asking why the salaries had stopped. There was no answer—no salary and no feedback at all,” he said.
He appealed to the Delta State government not to abandon volunteers who have continued to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies across the state.
“Security is everybody’s business. People who volunteer themselves to fight crime should not be neglected. Now that they are talking about state police, we should be enlisted and paid. That is my major concern,” Akene added.
