Joe Effiong, Uyo
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Akwa Ibom state has denied registering two government-owned security outfits, known as Body-Body and Only God.
Members of the groups,  suspected to be cultists or repentant cultists,  had clashed on Saturday in the presence of Gov. Udom Emmanuel and other national hierarchs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the inauguration of State Secretariat of the party in Uyo.
The incident has put a question mark on the validity of the proscription of 51 secret cult groups by the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration in March 2020.
Members of the groups suspected  to  be cultists engaged each other in a free-for-all  disrupting the inauguration  of the party House in Uyo , the state capital
Daily Sun that trouble started  when the Governor’s entourage arrived the PDP Secretariat with the National  Chairman of the party Prince Uche Secondus .
It was also gathered that when the gate of the party House was opened for the governor and his visitor , a group of heavily body built young men identified as “Body_Body” forced their way into the venue of the event in defiance of the Government security team known as “Only God”
Fight ensued as the ” Only God group owned by the state government tried to send the ” Body _ Body group out of the the arena  while the rival group gave some blows to one of the “Only God gang members injuring him as blood oozed out from his cheek.
Annoyed by the public embarrassment, the “Body – Body ”  retreated and regroup for a reprisal  attack at the end of the commissioning ceremony.
It was gathered that  government protocol team which  got wind of the confusion, immediately arranged for the evacuation of the ” Only God security team leaving other guests and Journalists from Correspondents’ Chapel of NUJ to scramble  for safety.
Other guests at the ceremony who earlier  sensed the  danger left after the tape into the building was cut and the governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel and National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus were being taken around the interior of the Secretariat.
The clash has painted a picture of compromise of the law on the part of the state government and other key government functionaries in the state.
It was learned that these two groups are not among the list of registered private security companies in Nigeria though they have always provided security at every function organized by the Akwa Ibom State government. .
State Commandant of the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, which has the statutory responsibility to register private security outfits, Mr. Samuel Fadeyi, told reporters in Uyo on Monday that he is not sure of any of the groups are duly registered with the NSCDC.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security,  Captain Iniobong Ekong (retd) when contacted on the issue said he was on an official assignment in Abuja.
Our correspondent reports that the Only God group seem to enjoy the patronage of the state government at venues of government functions.
The Only God boys are allegedly led by Mr. Felix Ekuri, said to an aide to the Governor and PDP Youth Mobiliser in the state.