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By Gilbert Ekezie
The Brighter Future, a non governmental organization recently organized a 2-day training for Crime Prevention Partnerships (CPP) on Prevent for youths, Women, CDAs, CDC, Police, Civil Defence, CSOs and other stakeholders in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The event which was supported by CLEEN Foundation and TAG International provided an opportunity for participants to know about Serious and Organized Crimes (SOC) and Organized Criminal Groups (OCG), which constitute threats to national development, security, rights and the wellbeing of citizens, and how to prevent them at their various communties.
The training also helped in the development of capacity to adopt, implement and measures to prevent the recruitment of individuals into Serious and Organized Crimes in the locality, state and the country at large.
In his welcome remarks, the Executive Chairman of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government, Hon Fatai Ayoola commended organisers of the training for the great initiative.
Ayoola who was represented by Mr Rasheed Ayoola expressed optimism that the training would impact on the community and offer the opportunity to fight crime . “We express our gratitude to the organisers of this programme, Brighter Future, Cleen Foundation and TAG International for your concern. We promised to do our best to ensure that Crimes are prevented in our environment.”
One of the resource persons, Kennedy Osaze , a Deputy Superintendent of Police said the training became necessary because of the need to have a crime free environment.
He explained that no society progresses in an unsafe and unsecure atmosphere.
Osaze defined Serious and Organized Crimes (SOC) as crime committed by two or three persons, and cannot manifest without Organization Criminal Groups (OCG).
According to him the major aims of SOC and OCG are financial gains, distorted self esteem, power, protection etc. “SOC and OCGs indulge in activities they find beneficial to them such as intimidation, harassment, trafficking in people, drugs, illicit goods and weapons, armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom etc.”
Osaze further informed that the illegal activities of SOC and OCGs undermine democracy, disrupt free markets, drain national assets and inhibit the development of stable societies.”Through their activities, they amass illicit wealth that is smuggled back into the economy, which distorts real economic indices and gives false statistics, resulting to misleading economic planning.
SOC and OCGs increase the levels of Crimes in communities and set a bad example for kids in the area. They create an image of power and respect, drop out of school, struggle with unemployment, abuse drugs and alcohol or end up in jail.”
Another resource person, Vivian Ekpo , a Superior Police Officer said that a family whose child or ward becomes a member of Serious and Organized Crimes or Organized Criminal Groups brings shame and disgrace on them, as the family remains in fear of attack by their own child or rival gangs.
She also noted that SOC and OCGs equally impact negatively on the socioeconomic well-being of the community. “Their iIlegal activities result in high cost of living because as business record loses due to Crimes, they pass the same cost on to customers by increasing prices, thereby causing high cost of living.”
Ekpo explained that the root.cause of Crimes are lack of economic opportunities, government oppression, law enforcement actions, poor parenting, lack of social justice.
On the strategies of SOC which are Pursue, Prevent, Protect and Prepare, Ekpo expressed that it is better to prevent the young ones from going into crime.”Young ones should be encouraged to shun criminal activities. They need talents like sports, music, artisanship and other skills that will keep them busy.”
A representative of British Council, Mrs Magdalene Lagun said the intention of the training was to partner with the communties for a better crime prevention.
She expressed satisfaction that the project is yielding positive results and called on members of Crime Preventing Partnership (CPP) to do more in their various communties to ensure that criminal activities are prevented for a better society.
The CLEEN Foundation’s Monitoring and.Evaluation Officer, Mr Nnamdi Odo explained that ‘Prevent’ project is aimed at reducing Serious and Organized Crimes in Nigeria.
He stated that CLEEN Foundation is trying to prevent young people from joining Organized Criminal Groups and training the law enforcement agencies, especially the police to use ‘Prevent’ approach (Community Policing) in preventing young people from joining Organized Criminal Groups. “Police are dealing with those involved in Serious and Organized Crimes, by arresting and sentencing them. Sometime, they die in the process, with this approach, number of people involved in SOC will reduce within ten years.
Odo explained that the project which started on April 2022 has been able to touch the lives of young people who are at the risk of commiting Serious and Organized Crimes or joining Organized Criminal Groups, by offering them alternative pathways, providing with economic skills to be useful to the society, instead of being attracted to join Organized Criminal Groups. “That is what Crime Prevention Partnerships (CPP) members in Ajeromi Ifelodun, Ikorodu and Ifako Ijaiye Local Government Areas in Lagos State have been able to achieve in the last one year.
“Some of the young persons have graduated in their various skills and have certificates from National Directorate of Employment , to be able to acquire skills that will build their resilience not to join Organized Criminal Groups.”
Odo also noted that upon graduation from their various skills acquisition centres, the young people with working tools to practice and become better people. “Those who graduated in Fashion Designing were given Sewing Machines, those who did Programming and Graphics were given Laptops, those who did Welding and Carpentry were given tools and we hope that they will use them well.
“For this year, we are looking at identifying the youths, using the criteria given to them, design interventions which include monitoring, counseling and identifying the skills they desire to acquire, then design interventions and proposal to support who undergo the skills acquisition training that would make them not to go into crime.”
Coordinator of CPP in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area, Lagos State Comrade Michael Ojobaro said the training has opened the eyes of CPP members in the area to understand more on how ‘Prevent’ work.
He explained that with the recent crime prevention strategies, the crime rate in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area has reduced drastically, unlike before.
“Our have resolved that they want a crime free environment. As a result, our commitment to crime prevention has been excellent. That is why criminal activities in Ajegunle have reduced.”
Ojobaro thank sponsors and organizers of the training not to relent in their efforts to reduce crime in the society.
