…urges govt to summon stakeholders summit to address menace

By Samuel Oyadongha

YENAGOA THE Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide on Thursday expressed concern over the rising cases of kidnapping and other violent crimes in Bayelsa, urging the state government to summon an enlarge security summit involving all stakeholders to address the menace.

National Spokesman of the IYC, Ebilade Ekerefe, raised the alarm at an interactive session in Yenagoa.

He lamented that despite the huge resources been extended to security agencies in the state by Governor Douye Diri’s administration, “we are not getting value for money.”

According to him, Nobody in the state is happy about the high trend of kidnapping and criminality in the state.

“As IYC, we find it difficult to believe that the security agencies are not doing their jobs effectively. People come into the state and kidnap with impunity and nobody has been arrested. Nobody has been made to pay for the crimes they have committed and it has made the criminals to be emboldened to do more with affront.

“The borders of the state are porous and security operatives seems not interested in searching and querying what goes into the state and comes out.”

He however pointed out that the worrisome trend has made the security of lives and property everyone’s business adding that Ijaw youths in all the clans and communities in the state have been placed on red alert to gather and provide intelligence to security agencies in order to stop the worrisome security trend.

“There must be collaboration between the security agencies, Ijaw youths, traditional heads, community leadership ​ and other stakeholders to nip in the bud the worrisome security situation.

“It is not when there is security crisis, they run to the governor with more memos for approvals. These agencies must do their work effectively.

“As we are going into another round of election, if we don’t speak out, some political elements that don’t mean well for the peace in the state could capitalize on it. There should be no sacred cow in fighting crime and criminality.

“It is not a crime for the people of Bayelsa to live peacefully. The state security agency, Operation Door Akpor, should also rise up to the occasion and boost the morale of its rank and file. Instead of addressing the worrisome crime, they are going after petty issues that can be resolved by the dispute and conflict resolution desks. We want to believe that the efforts of the governor is not being undermined by some fifth columnists. Enough is enough.

“We call on the governor and government of the state to summon a security summit to address these issues. Traditional rulers and youth presidents involved in activities that condoned criminality should be exposed and heads of security agencies not using the huge funds being approved by government for intelligence and motivation of rank and file should also be exposed.

“Logistics approved to security agencies are meant for security matters not private pockets. The patrol vehicle handed to security agencies are not for personal use but for security. These vehicles are not visible in the state.”

Ekerefe also berated the youths for not doing enough to assist security agencies to arrest those involved in crime and criminality saying, “The security situation in the state is taking an alarming level.

“You are a youth and an indigene of the state and you got wind of the plan to kidnap someone and you kept quiet. You are also a criminal if you don’t tell the security agencies. This is not what an ijaw man is known for and it is very sad.”

He called for the unconditional release of all those who are still in kidnappers’ den in the interest of peace and development of the state.