The Civilian Joint Task Force has dismissed some of its members allegedly involved in criminal activities, declaring that such persons no longer belong to the organisation.
The Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Civilian JTF Nigeria, Usman Muhammad Rabiu, disclosed this while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the group’s stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Saturday.
Rabiu said the volunteer paramilitary vigilante group would not tolerate criminal elements within its ranks.
“The Civilian JTF does not operate with individuals involved in criminal activities or those who associate with criminals. We want only honest, law-abiding citizens in our ranks,” he said.
He added that some dismissed members were still falsely presenting themselves as officials of the organisation.
“Some of them are still parading themselves as our members, but they are no longer with the CJTF. We have removed their names from our portal.
“Anybody who claims to be a member of the group and you cannot find him or her on our website is fake,” Rabiu stated.
He said the organisation remained committed to supporting security agencies in tackling insecurity across the country.
“Our mission is to help solve the security challenges facing the country, especially banditry and Boko Haram attacks.
“We are committed to working in partnership with the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Army to combat these threats,” he added.
Rabiu noted that the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to strengthen unity within the organisation and improve coordination nationwide.
“We are here this afternoon on behalf of the unity of the Civilian JTF across the federation and for the peace of Nigeria as a whole. We are concerned about the growing banditry and insurgency affecting the nation,” he said.
According to him, security agencies cannot tackle the menace alone, stressing the need for community-based groups to support national peace efforts.
“The Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Army cannot handle the situation alone. That is why non-governmental groups and community-based organisations like the Civilian JTF are expected to support efforts to restore peace and security,” he said.
Rabiu urged Nigerians to always provide useful information to security agencies whenever suspicious movements were noticed.
He said state commanders, directors and sector commanders from across the country attended the meeting to resolve internal challenges and reposition the group for better service.
