Nigeria Peace Corps Latest News Updates (March, 2023)

Peace Corps of Nigeria ( PCN) was founded by Dickson A.O Akoh with the goal of fostering national creativity, unity, peace, youth development and re-orientation and this is fully encapsulated by the organization’s motto which is “Discipline and Patriotic services.”

Some of the other objectives of Peace Corps include promoting social and economic development by involving members and volunteers in the scheme by working with Government, Schools, Non-Profit Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, etc. in order to preoccupy the youths

The organization is also involved in empowering and pre-occupying the Nigerian Youths through job creation and provision of alternative employment.

PCN is involved in training Nigerian Youths with good virtuous, strong passion and commitment to the art of Patriotism, Volunteerism Community Services and Nation Building.

PCN currently boasts 157,000 regular officers and about two million volunteers across the country.

Latest News on Nigeria Peace Corps

In this post, we look at the latest news updates on the Peace Corps of Nigeria.

House of Reps Pass Peace Corps Bill for Recommittal (July 24, 2019)

The House of Reps, on Wednesday, July 24, 2019, passed a resolution to reintroduce the Peace Corps Bill for passage. The bill was reintroduced to the House and sponsored by Honourable Mohammed Tahir, the Chief Whip of the House. The bill on its reintroduction passed its first reading in the House of Reps on July 3, 2019.

The Nigerian Peace Corps bill is aimed at giving statutory backing to the Peace Corps of Nigeria, which has been in existence for some years now.

Peace Corps Boss Accused of Receiving N18.7m ‘Share’ From N54m ‘Job Scam’ (November 8, 2018)

Investigations have revealed that the money received from applications to his Peace Corps was transferred to the organization’s headquarters in Abuja.

It was disclosed that the sum of N54 million was the amount taken from the applicants. Subsequently, there was petition indicating that the head of the Peace Corps, Amb. (Dr) Dickson A.O. Akoh has questions to answer in this regard.

The group, Good Governance Agenda (GGA), that petitioned the anti-graft agency is seeking an investigation into a “job scam” amounting to the sum of N54 million, involving Gombe State Commandant of the Corps, Ambore Enoch, who is under investigation by the agency.

In a petition obtained by SaharaReporters, the group alleged that the crime was committed in connivance with Akoh. They stated in the petition that the Peace Corps boss had taken the sum of N18.7 million out of the N54 million, as his own share.

According to the petition signed by its President, BitrusAuta, “the same scam has been replicated nationwide with the Commandant’s consent”.

EFCC Arrests Gombe Peace Corps Commandant (October 17, 2018)

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Gombe State has arrested Ambore Enoch, the Commandant of the Nigerian Peace Corps in the state, for alleged employment scam and extortion.

The commandant was accused of extorting N54 million from members of the public in the state under the pretext of offering them appointment into the corps and providing them with its training kits.

According to a press statement on Wednesday by EFCC spokesperson in the state, Bello Bajoga, Mr Enoch was picked up for questioning following investigation of a petition by some aggrieved persons in the state.

The investigations into the case revealed that the victims (mostly youth of Gombe State) were deceived to pay various sums of money ranging from N3,000 to N60,000 into the Corps account domiciled in one of the new generation banks, amounting to N54 million.

The incident was said to have taken place between December 2016 and March 2017. It was also discovered that out of the money, Mr Enoch withdrew N3.5 million for his personal use and transferred N20 million into his personal account and remitted N18.7million to the headquarters of the Corps in Abuja.

Additionally, other “suspicious” withdrawals were made by other individuals under the instruction of Mr Enoch.

The matter was still being investigated, after which the suspect would be charged to court.

Peace Corps Denies Holding Meeting with Omisore (August 31, 2018)

The Peace Corps in Osun State has denied holding any meeting with the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party ( SDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore.

The corps’ Public Relations Officer, Olabode Makinwa, in a statement, said the allegation of planning to provide support for Omisore in the September 22 governorship election was not correct as reported by the media.

Giving an account of the corps’ encounter with the SDP governorship candidate, he said Omisore and his campaign train only paid an unscheduled visit to the Peace Corps’ state command along Ilesa road in Osogbo, the state capital, as they were passing by for a political programme.

He said the Peace Corps does not have any political affiliation or collect money from any political group or individual because our organisation is non-religious and non-political but only answerable to any government in power.

Makinwa added that the campaign train was on the way to Ilesa, possibly for a political rally, when they branched to our command by the roadside and met us in the middle of a programme. Omisore solicited for our support and we made it clear to him that ours is a non-political organization. Our members have the freedom to make their own choice individually.

The National Commandant of the Corps, Dr. Dickson Akoh, before leaving for the United Nation for 67th DPI/NGO Conference in New York, warned all officers against partisanship. Contrary to the information published about us, ours is an organization registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria and with a legal backing of the National Assembly whose bill is only waiting for the Presidential assent.”

Peace Corps’ Delegation Departs for UN Conference (August 22, 2018)

The United Nations (UN) has invited the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) to attend her 67th Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organisation (DPI/NGO) conference scheduled for its headquarters in New York, United States.

The event is designed to provide a policy building forum for NGOs’ collaboration with the world body.

The National Commandant Ambassador Dickson Akoh led a five-man delegation of the PCN to the UN conference in New York. Prior to his departure, Akoh addressed journalists stating that the time had come for the organization to make a statement on Nigeria’s democracy, using its numerical strength. Akoh also charged members of the Corps to take advantage of the extension of the continuous voters’ registration (CVR) exercise and get registered, adding that any officer or volunteer of the Corps who fails to comply with the instruction would not be issued identity card during the 2019 membership revalidation.

Dickson Akoh: Buhari Can Reconsider Peace Corps Bill… I Have Asked Over 2m Volunteers to Get PVCs (August 20, 2018)

The National Commandant of the PCN, Dickson Akoh says the time has for his organisation to make a statement.

 Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Akoh said corps which has over 157,000 members and whose volunteers are about two million have been instructed to get their permanent voter cards (PVCs).

He also said he had been appealing and would continue to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the peace corps bill.

It would be recalled that the President rejected the bill in 2018, saying the corps is a duplication of existing security agencies.

In response to the President’s statement, Akoh said Buhari is not to be blamed for the action but an agency that blackmailed the corps.

Senate Urges Buhari To Sign Peace Corps Bill, Or Risk Being Vetoed (March 7, 2018)

The Senate on Wednesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to review his position in withholding assent on the bill to establish Peace Corps of Nigeria.

This followed the adoption of a Point of Order raised by Senator Dino Melaye during plenary.

Relying on the Senate rules, Melaye urged the Senate to revisit the bill with a view to veto the President if he fails to rescind his rejection of the bill.

President Buhari had cited duplication of duty and funding challenges in declining assent to the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill, 2017 recently passed by the National Assembly. However, Melaye said Buhari should give the bill a priority.

According to Melaye, the same thing happened when the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was to be established; there was also the same complaint that there was no money and all of that. But the advantages of the NSCDC and how they have helped in safeguarding government infrastructure can be clearly seen.

Activist Begs Osinbajo To Compel Police To Obey Court Orders On Peace Corps (August 14, 2018)

An Abuja-based human rights activist and legal practitioner, Barrister Ahmed Ajibola Jimoh has written to the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) to compel the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris to unseal the corporate head office of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), which was unlawfully sealed up by the police since February 28, 2017.

The human rights activist specifically wants the Presidency to direct police authorities to respect the rule of law and obey court orders directing them to vacate the office located at No. 57, Iya Abubakar Crescent, Abuja.

In a letter of appeal, addressed to the Acting President, dated August 13, 2018, Jimoh informed Osinbajo of the subsisting two judgments of the Federal High Court, Abuja which ordered police to unseal the office but was not obeyed till date.

The letter was titled: “Appeal to Mr. President to compel Police to respect rule of law on Peace Corps of Nigeria.”

Barrister Ahmed recalled that Justices Gabriel Kolawole and John Tsoho, have at different times, in their judgments issued orders to the Police to unseal the office in the interest of justice and fair play. However, Jimoh noted with regret that Police rather than obeying the court orders chose to remain adamant by blocking the entrance to the office with a heavy truck and stationed several of its men to prevent the officers and men of the Corps from accessing the office as directed by the court.

The activist warned that the use of naked powers and oppression against the youth in the Peace Corps of Nigeria, who are being prepared for a bright future, were capable of spelling doom for the nation and therefore urged the Presidency to passionately wade into the matter and order Police to vacate the office.

Besides, the barrister also drew the attention of the Presidency to the order of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions to Police to vacate the office based on petitions by the Coalition of Civil Society Organization for Justice and Equity, adding that till date, the Police have chosen to close their eyes against natural justice and opted to take laws into their hands.

Dickson Akoh Explains Rejection of the Nigeria Peace Corps Bill, Says It’s Still Alive (May 29, 2018)

Ambassador Dickson Akoh, the Commandant of Nigeria Peace Corps (NPC) has reacted to the rejection of the NPC by the House of Representatives, saying it’s not the bill that suffered a temporary setback via the rejection, rather it is the overriding process initiated by the lower House

Speaking on Monday at a press briefing in Abuja, Akoh said, “Therefore, without any fear of contradiction, let me say it loud and clear that the Nigeria Peace Corps Establishment Bill is not dead as widely publicized, but still alive and on course.

The commandant revealed that the good intentions of the bill were highly misrepresented by those who have access to Mr President. This is perhaps it’s on account of this that Mr President withheld his assent to the Bill, citing funding and security concerns.

Amb. Akoh also noted that the core mandate of the NPC is to develop, empower and provide gainful employment for the youth, to facilitate peace, volunteerism community services, neighbourhood watch, nation building and others.

He lamented the unfortunate setback suffered by the NPC bill, saying it did not mean the end of the road for the Peace Corps of Nigeria.

He said it will continue to function as a legal entity, saying, the organisation is registered in Corporate Affairs Commission under its companies and Allied Matters Act, Part C of 1990.

He said the PCN remains on course and focused on our commitment to nation-building and services to the society. Also, the never-say-die spirit of the corps shall overcome this temporary setback, as we are diligently consulting and engaging necessary stakeholders to resolve this politically motivated challenge facing the organisation. Additionally, he noted that the bill still stands validly passed and may still be assented to by any president, including the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, he appealed to NPC members nationwide to remain peaceful in accordance with their calling and the distinct orientation they were subjected to that is anchored on selflessness, strict discipline and patriotism.