The rate at which the present younger generation struggles to make ends meet through a ‘get-rich-quick’ syndrome is quite alarming; if governments at various levels don’t do the needful to put the covetous lust under checks, the country may be heading for a brutal crisis.
The fear of being caught matters less, as if it’s an in-thing. Children in the age bracket 16 and 25 years are getting involved in crimes ranging from money rituals, armed banditry, kidnapping to internet fraud, popularly referred to as ‘yahoo.’ A cliche, “youths are the future leaders,” remains a dashed hope for the younger generation, which has elected to ‘cut corners’ in their quest to become rich quickly without recourse to the value being placed on the lives of their fellow human beings.
Nowadays, it is a worrisome trend that many Nigerians dread sleeping with their two eyes closed over palpable fear of being potential victims. Also, driving home or walking late at night has become anathema due to the ‘fear of the unknown’.
Still fresh in the memory, early last year, a horde of suspected criminal elements under the guise of herders went on the prowl and attacked residents of a dozen communities within Yewa axis (Yewa North and Imeko-Afon local government areas) in Ogun State. Apart from razing many homes, they killed dozens and also maimed scores of residents in these communities. But the timely and swift intervention of the Ogun State Government, through its dispute resolution mechanisms, quickly saved the situation from escalating. In reminiscences, the patience of these inhabitants was overstretched and it became unbearable, arising from various onslaughts—ranging from rape, armed robbery to grazing on the farmlands of these host communities by the rampaging herders. Other places also affected by the unwholesome activities of these criminal gangs were not limited to Yewaland but extended to Obada-Oko (Ewekoro LGA) and also other locations in Ijebu-Ode, Obafemi-Owode, Sagamu, Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Odeda.
A couple of months ago, there were chilling revelations resulting from the arrest of many youngsters who have taken to money rituals in Ogun state. The concerted efforts of the state government to tackle these vices headlong have paid off.
Operatives of the So-Safe Corps, Vigilante Service of Nigeria, South-Western States Security outfit code-named Amotekun, the police, Department of State Services, Army and other sister agencies, through their proactive measures deserve a pat on the back for their exploits at curtailing the various violent crimes, with their attendant gory incidents.
A typical example was the arrest of four teenagers, who chopped off the head of a girl for money ritual, a couple of weeks ago in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. Operatives of So-Safe Corps swooped on and apprehended the suspects while they were burning the human head for money ritual, before they were handed over to the police for further investigation. Asides that, several other arrests have been made in recent times in connection with gruesome murders for money ritual purposes.
The reinvigoration of the security architecture of the state, with the procurement of hundreds of patrol vehicles, Armoured Personnel Carrier vehicles, communication gadgets, kits and other accoutrements, insurance and enhanced allowances for the operatives and proactive intelligence gathering mechanism is another milestone in the efforts of the government to proffer solutions to the spate of violent crimes. Notwithstanding, this is a model that requires other state governments to borrow a leaf from Ogun to tackle their security challenges.
However, the proponents of state police might have been vindicated. With sophistry in rising crimes nowadays—the deployment of modern techniques by criminals—community policing has a place of pride to play in our society. Federal police can’t do it alone. That is not to say that the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force haven’t lived up to expectations, but as large as the size of the country, collective participation of all citizens in policing should be encouraged. And this boils down to allowing for the passage of the controversial bill seeking the creation of the state police. After all, the fear of being abused by the various state governments has been vindicated by the recent exploits made by various local vigilante outfits in the arrest of criminals. For instance, the United Kingdom, which the NPF is patterned after as a model, has its own Metropolitan Police which is a replica of the state police our respective state administrators and other proponents have been clamouring for.
Meanwhile, every government, be it at the central, state or local level, places a premium on security as an impetus for driving sustainable growth and development of its economy. For every investor, he or she places his money where it will be safe. As a result, it is no mistake that the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration has taken the bull by the horn while he underscored the importance of security as one of the developmental pillars in fast-tracking the economy of the state through the creation of an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
Security is very critical to the achievement of the much-desired socio-economic development of any society.
As a step further, the recent establishment of a Joint Border Security Task Force, between Abiodun and Engr Seyi Makinde of Ogun and Oyo states respectively climaxed the total commitment and resolve of the two Governors to fighting the increasing rates of kidnappings, armed banditry, ritual killings, among other violent crimes headlong, owing to their proximity to each other.
Essentially, the proposed inauguration of a high-level Joint Security Committee would go a long way to proactively address the myriad of security challenges bedevilling the two states sharing common communities and inter-state roads. Also, the planned deployment of Close Circuit Televisions will go a long way to complement the efforts of the patrol teams along the border communities.
Femi Ogbonnikan wrote from Abeokuta, Ogun state capital.
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