From Uchenna Ezeadigwe,
Awka
The Anambra State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has condemned the choice of colour for the branding of the vehicles donated for the Onitsha Ado Vigilante Network.
Indigenes of the commercial city of the state had floated a security outfit known as Onitsha Ado Vigilante Network to check increasing wave of crime in the commercial city.
The corps said the colour conflicted with theirs and demanded immediate repainting of all the vehicles belonging to the security operatives to avoid clash of interest.
A statement by the state commandant, Commandant David Bille, wondered why the initiators of the security outfit could not have factored in the colour conflicts before unveiling the same colours to the public.
The statement read in part, “The attention of the Anambra State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC has been drawn to the crested vehicles painted in Civil Defence Colours presented to Onitsha Ado Vigilante Network.
“The corps, while appreciating the Onitsha community for taking a bold step in complementing the functions of federal security agencies in the fight against crimes and criminality in the state, urged the community to as a matter of urgency effect a change of colours on the said vehicles to avoid clash of interest.
“The Commandant wondered why the initiators of the said vigilante network could not have known that white, red and black colours are being used by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, before unveiling the same colours to the public.”
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of Onitsha Kingdom, Obi Alfred Achebe, while unveiling the security outfit, said there was need to keep the security of the city, especially being a commercial hub.
The monarch also unveiled branded Toyota Sienna vehicles said to have been donated by good spirited individuals in the city for the fight against insecurity. He urged the people of the zone to step up security consciousness so as not to be caught unawares by the threatening terrorist herders that invaded the country and causing insecurity in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the chairman of Onitsha-North local government area, Patrick Aghadinuno Mba has dismissed as empty, allegations of Onitsha Community Vigilante duplicating the official vehicle colours of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Mba, who was reacting to directives from the NSCDC, Anambra command to repaint their vehicles, maintained that the commandant was wrong to have leveled such allegations. He said there was no resemblance or colour crisis, whatsoever, explaining that the vehicle colours of the community vigilante service were red, white and yellow respectively while those of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were only red and white.
