Akwa Ibom Info Commissioner denies he has a vigilante guard attached to him

The Commissioner for Information of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Aniekan Umana, has denied that a vigilante guard was assigned to him after a police press release claimed that a suspect in possession of a toy AK‑47 was attached to his office.

DSP Timfon John, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Akwa Ibom State Command, issued a statement on Wednesday explaining that the arrested individual, identified as Wisdom Umana, told police operatives he was a vigilante operative assigned to the Commissioner for Information for escort duties. The PPRO said that an investigation into the suspect’s activities and the possession of the imitation firearm had begun.

The statement read in part: “An officer attached to Government House apprehended one Wisdom Umana, who was found in possession of a toy AK‑47 rifle. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect claimed to be a vigilante operative attached to the Commissioner for Information on escort duties. The circumstances surrounding his activities and possession of the imitation firearm are being thoroughly investigated.”

Responding to the claim, the commissioner released a press statement signed by himself. He said that no vigilante personnel had ever been assigned to him from any source and that the security staff in his office are officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who were officially posted to his office by the state command.

He stated: “My attention has been drawn to a press release issued by the Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), alleging that a vigilante operative carrying a toy gun is attached to me. I wish to state categorically that I have no vigilante personnel attached to me from any source whatsoever. The security personnel serving in my office are officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who were officially posted to my office by the state command in the discharge of their official duties.”

While urging the police to conduct a thorough investigation and establish the facts, the commissioner called on the public to disregard the suspect’s claim as “false and misleading in its entirety.”