Rivers-back vigilantes protest non-payment of 15 months’ stipend

Members of the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, a state government-backed vigilante group, on Wednesday staged a protest at the Government House in Port Harcourt to demand for payment of several months of stipends.
One of the leaders of the protest, Benjamin Saruwaji, said they are being “owed for 15 months”.

He said members of their families have suffered hardship and hunger.

The protesters also complained of not having “operational vehicles” to carry out the assignment given to them by the state government.

He, therefore, called on Governor Nyesom Wike to urgently intervene and pay them their stipends to end their “sufferings”.

Another protester, Mathew Iheanyi urged the governor to either ask them to continue their job or “pay them off”.

The protesters, who did not meet the governor at the Government House, proceeded to his private residence at Ada George to try to get his attention.