EBEN ENASCO REPORTING.
A Public Work Volunteer Scheme staff, PUWOV, Fidelis Ugbenna would have been Ten Thousand Naira Richer for allegedly attempting to abduct a motorist, identified as Chibuzor Nenchi, and force him to pay a ransom, when he was intercepted and apprehended by the Scheme’s task force in Benin City.
Ugbenna was said to have connived with a dismissed PUWOVs’ Personnel Emmanuel Oviawe to extort a private motorist at BEDC junction on Akpakpava axis of Ring Road, Benin City, when luck ran against both suspected elements.
PUWOV State Coordinator, Mukhtar Yusuf-Osagie, who made the disclosure to journalists in Benin City, said the personnel had been handed over to Oba market Divisional police Station, where he was later transferred to the State Police Command headquarters for onward investigation and prosecution.
He explained that, the corrupt PUWOV official extorted the sum of N10, 000 from one Chibuzor Nenchi, a road user on the Ring Road axis, adding, “the PUWOV official, Ugbenna Fidelis has been taken to Oba Market Police Division for further investigation and prosecution. Also, an immediate dismissal awaits him after prosecution.”
Recall that, PUWOV State Coordinator, Osagie had earlier last week warned against any official of the scheme extorting members of the public to face the law.
Bearly two weeks interval, however, his warnings tend to have eluded Fidelis Ugbenna, who has become the first victim in principle since the reinvigorated quest to annihilate criminal elements from the Scheme
According to the coordinator, “We are reassuring members of the public that the scheme will not relent in upholding its mandate on taking discipline measures against all bad eggs.
Yusuf-Osagie is also soliciting stronger ties between other security agencies in the state, and residents’ support to maintain discipline, curb criminality and ensure peace and orderliness.
He admonished, members of the public to be observant and mindful of some miscreant on black outfits posing as PUWOV taskforce to extort money from innocent citizens; members of the public should report anyone involved in such illegality.
While no official statement has been released by the State Police Command, Muktar Osagie is charging members of the public to always use the PUWOV complaints lines on 09150322999 and 08132030846 to report any PUWOV official culpable of the illegal act of extortion.