The Provisionary Committee of the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard has warned against alleged extortion of unsuspecting public in guise of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill which passed second reading in the Senate last week.
In a statement which was issued by the National Information and Public Relations Officer of the Provisionary Committee of the proposed establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard, Lt. Comdr. Ganiyu Babatunde Adebayo which was made available to CAPITAL POST in Abuja on Monday, pointed out that some unscrupulous elements have been thrown up into deceiving people by asking them to pick up recruitment forms as the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill has passed second reading in the Senate.
The Provisionary Committee called on Nigerians to disregard those fraudsters, stating that the promoters of the bill would never embark on fake recruitment in order to extort money from Nigerians.
They urged good citizens and well-meaning individuals to expose those fraudsters and report them to the nearest Police Station and any other security agencies with the aim to apprehend them, adding that the Nigerian Coast Guard was being processed at the National Assembly, which would progress to President Bola Tinubu for assent before it becomes a recognized organization.
The facilitators of the bill recalled that sometime ago, fraudsters similarly engage in deceiving and duping people in guise of the proposed establishment of Nigerian Coast Guard which their offices were raided by the Nigeria Police and arrests were made.
The Provisionary Committee of the Nigerian Coast Guard in the statement said, they are the facilitators of the bill, hence, any other person, or group of individuals laying claim are criminals that should be apprehended by security agents.
The statement read in full:
“The Provisionary Committee of the Nigerian Coast Guard wishes to timely inform relevant Authorities and the general public that with the successful Second Reading of the Nigerian Coast Guard Establishment Bill NO. SB. 575 of 2024, unscrupulous economic package seekers, destiny wreckers and malignant fraudsters have taken to their illegal practice of defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians in the name of Nigerian Coast Guard.
“These deceitful individuals have taken to multiple lies of calling on Nigerians to pick up recruitment form into Coast Guard and of soliciting for funds for urgent needs.
“Leading this fraudulent action are they who believe that law is a mere suggestion. They are those whose illegal activities were uncovered and their unlawful hideout and training camp raided in Lagos on 10 November 2021 and 108 of their victims carried away on that fateful day.
“Members of the public are hereby informed that these lawless individuals have no involvement and bearing whatsoever with the facilitative process that led to the Second Reading of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill on 15th October 2024.
“The Provisionary Committee and a few patriotic Nigerians brought about this feat. The venomous cankerous opponents and tainted merchandizers, should be disregarded or arrested for spreading falsehood, for selfish reasons.
“They are serial deceivers, waging war against the commendable success of the Provisionary Committee towards the creation of Coast Guard, which, when established, has the capacity to bring Nigeria out of her economic hardship, debt burden and make her a stable country and a lending nation.
“The provisionary Committee sincerely implore citizens to be cautious of any group impersonating the Provisionary Committee of the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard.
“These naked dancers in the market square deserve no patronage and should be treated with legal sponge, to curb their excesses and fakery.
“Appropriate Establishments and members of general public are informed that there is no recruitment exercise into Nigerian Coast Guard. At the appropriate time, Government shall announce to the public.
“Based on positive faith and resolve, the Provisionary Committee has laboured so well to bring to national and international limelight the need to establish Coast Guard in Nigeria, in consideration of the benefits of the blue economy, the provisions of UNCLOS III, IMO ISPS Code, Nigeria’s international prestige, national interest and value, and her Maritime Commercial Activities. PC-NCG having created this healthy awareness that Nigeria’s Maritime Industry cannot function effectively, efficiently, successfully, advantageously and reputably, would not allow it effort to be derailed by uncanny and misleading impostors.”
