The group, which is the apex social-political youth organization of Delta North Senatorial District (Anioma) in a statement on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ekwukwo Elvis, alleged that the task forces members had been engaging in “non-stop recklessness”.
The statement read in part, “We the AYF-W raises concern over the reckless activities of different task forces operating in Delta state.
“As a responsive and responsible group that places a high premium on the well-being of Ndi Anioma and all dwellers in Anioma land and Delta State at large, we are appalled by the daily inundation by members of the public of the unacceptable level of high-handedness, gangsterism and molestation of Deltans and dwellers alike by members of the taskforces operating in the State especially Asaba, the State Capital and its environs.
“The modus operandi of the countless number of different task forces operating with Delta State government crested vests have become provocative and hence threatens the daily activities of law-abiding citizens going about their daily businesses.
“It is indeed an embarrassment to the State to say the least, to have a group of persons wearing the State government vest of taskforce enforcement deploying acts of thuggery, intimation, harassment and most times physically assaulting members of the society just to implement a simple mandate of revenue collection.
“It is on record without any fear of contradiction that activities of members of these task forces operating in the State times without number have led to several accidents that left their victims dead, injured and properties destroyed.
“Just Friday the 8th of July, 2022, some persons were rushed to the hospitals as a fall out of the accident along Asaba- Agbor road, Asaba, caused by the overzealousness and criminal approach of executing taskforce mandate.
“AYF-W without any reservations is totally disappointed and demands that Delta State government, especially the ministries and agencies where these task forces are detailed from to take decisive actions to put an end to the daily ugly reports of unleashing terror on the people as their activities have reached a completely unacceptable point”
The group, therefore, calls on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to as a matter of urgent public concern look into the activities of all Taskforce teams and ensure that they carry out their mandates with a human face, decorum, and regard for fundamental human rights.
AYF-W also wishes to bring to the attention of the State Government and indeed to all relevant security agencies to watch the rising ugly trend of touting in Asaba, the State capital which they said if not curtailed immediately, will definitely lead to a sharp increase in crimes and criminality within the state capital.
