Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, is grappling with a growing menace: rogue task force operatives who prey on unsuspecting residents. The victims, including Oyenka, Stanley, and Martins, share harrowing tales of assault, extortion, and humiliation.
Oyenka’s nightmare began when a group of men, claiming to be task force members, surrounded his car. “They accused me of not using my hazard lights,” he recounted, his voice trembling. “But it wasn’t about hazard lights. They had their eyes set on something else.”
The men commandeered his car, drove him to Oyigbo, and beat him. “They extorted money from me,” Oyenka said, wincing. “They didn’t care about the law – they acted like they were above it.”
Stanley Nwaoji’s wife had a similar experience. She stopped to take a phone call near the Eliozu flyover when six men in blue T-shirts approached her, accusing her of improper parking. “They took her car key through the window,” Stanley said, anger simmering in his voice.
The men drove off with her car, leaving her stranded. They demanded a “settlement” at Water Lines, but efforts to recover the car have been fruitless.
Martins Chike, a member of the Rumuosi Businessmen Association, had his own harrowing encounter. A group of men accused him of violating traffic rules. “I asked them to show their identification,” Chike recounted. “Instead, they harassed me, took my phones, and emptied my pockets.”
Rallying his union members, Chike tracked the group to their hideout. The confrontation turned violent, with one of the union members, John Michael, brutally beaten.
George Ihwunda, another member of the Rumuosi Businessmen Association, voiced a deeper concern. “Crime is rising,” he said, pointing to uncompleted houses in the area that have become hideouts for criminals. “If we don’t act now, it will only get worse.”
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Enefaa Georgewill, Chairman of the Rivers State Civil Society Organisation (RIVSCO), is no stranger to such accounts. “We’ve received so many complaints from motorists about people claiming to be task force members,” he said.
Georgewill explained that some of these rogue groups are suspected to be backed by local government officials and powerful individuals within the community. “This is why they act with impunity,” he added.
Human rights lawyer, Higher King, shared a similar message. He encouraged victims to take their cases to local government chairmen and pursue legal action. “Gather evidence,” he advised. “Photos, videos, anything that can help. And if you see someone being harassed, step in and document it.”
King also called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to create a counter-task force to rein in the rogue operators tarnishing the government’s image.
When contacted, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joe Johnson, declined to comment. However, the Chairman of the Rivers State Taskforce on Illegal Street Trading and Motor Parks, Felix Nwandibe, stated that the agency only uses branded vehicles and uniforms for its operations.
Nwandibe claimed that the state task force officials are being impersonated by unknown groups and called on residents to resist and report to law enforcement agencies for immediate action.
The police public relations officer, Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringi-Koko, asked for more time to respond to the issues.
Earlier, the chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chijioke Ihunwo, accused the police of encouraging touting in the area. “Most cases of vehicle impoundments are as a result of the Police providing backing to the illegal task force officials particularly those operating in major junctions and motor parks,” he said.
The police partake in the sharing of the illegal fines collected from victims, he added.
