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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The umbrella body of Ijaw Youths Worldwide, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has expressed concern over the rising cases of kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state despite the efforts of the present administration of Governor Douye Diri to provide logistical support to security agencies.
According to the IYC, though the Bayelsa State Government had recently provided over fifty patrol vehicles and financial support to boost security agencies, it seems the morale of the rank and files is low and lacking necessary motivation from their bosses.
The national spokesman of the IYC, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe in a media interactive session with newsmen in Yenagoa accused the heads of security agencies in the state for not doing enough to stem the rising and worrisome trends in kidnapping, high profile killings and violent crimes in the state despite the huge investment in security of the state by the present Diri administration.
“The question we are asking is that despite the huge resources by Governor Diri to security agencies in the state, we are not getting value for money. There is available evidence that the morale of the rank and file is very low. The top echelon of the security agencies is not doing enough to motivate their men in taking their jobs seriously. Nobody in the state is happy about the high trend of kidnapping and criminality in the state.”
“As Ijaw Youths council, 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 said
He urged security agencies in Bayelsa to sit up as people are dying and they seek justice while those alive seek protection.
Erekefe also announced that the 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.
“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 the 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 vehicles handed to security agencies are not for personal use but for security. These vehicles are not visible in the state” he added.
