The Vice President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) North Central Region, who also serves as the Coordinator of the Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC) West Africa Region, has voiced strong opposition to the recent arrest of the National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Dickson Akoh, warning that failure to release him could spark nationwide protests.
Issuing a Press Text in Lagos l, Saturday 26th of October, 2024. The Coordinator expressed deep concern over the growing pattern of police brutality under the leadership of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun. He called for the immediate release of Akoh, who was detained over a tenancy dispute with his landlord.
According to reports, heavily armed police officers stormed the Peace Corps Headquarters near Jabi Lake in Abuja on Friday, forcefully entered the premises and arrested Akoh along with 16 of his officers. The police action has been described as unjust and unwarranted.
According to the release, the NYCN National Vice president covering North Central condemned the high-handedness of the police, calling for an end to the harassment and oppression of Nigerians, particularly targeting youth and civil society organizations as this cannot be the reward of the support Nigeria Youths are given the government in stabilizing the polity. He insisted on the immediate release of Akoh and other detained officers, demanding accountability from the police.
In a firm stance, the youth body issued a deadline of Monday, October 28, 2024, demanding an apology from the IGP and his officers for their actions, the release of all detainees, and the reopening of the Peace Corps Headquarters.
Should these demands go unmet, the Coordinator of the AAYC warned that youth from the North Central region would mobilize for a mass protest in Abuja, targeting the Police Headquarters and National Assembly. The protest would also demand the removal of IGP Egbetokun by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevent further damage to the credibility of the Nigeria Police Force and the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
