We’re fighting crime with palliatives –RTEAN

Christopher Oji 

Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has called on the government and other organizations to fight crime by assisting the people with palliatives.

National Chairman / Lagos State Chairman of RTEAN, Musa Muhammed, who spoke yesterday in his office at Igando, Lagos while distributing palliatives to members of the association and others, said: “We understand that a hungry man is an angry man and a hungry man can do anything to survive. Nigerians are hardworking people, but because of the lockdown and restrictions of movement to curtail the spread of COVID-19, people cannot move around not to talk of going to work. Many have exhausted their food stock because most of them, including my members work hand to mouth. We are worried that if hunger persists, many will go into crime.

“We have decided to fight crime with palliative. We cannot serve everybody, but we have to do the little we can. We understand that the government cannot do it alone. That is why we have been distributing food items such as rice, garri and beans to our members and members of the public. Our men are not working for now, we don’t want them to be hungry.

So, we put the members of the public in our shoes. From our savings, we have decided to give back to the society.

“For instance, the Federal and Lagos State government gave us palliatives – bags of rice and garri but I told my members that we should not be selfish. So, we called out to the public to come and share with us and that is what we are doing today by giving back to the society. We have been doing this since the lockdown began and we shall continue to give out even after the lockdown.

“I am calling on well meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to emulate what we have been doing because you are not only saving lives but you are obeying God’s command to give to the needy. You are at the same time fighting crime and giving the public the courage to obey the lockdown orders. Please, whether you are a Christian or a Muslim, the holy books commanded us to give. Whatsoever you do, it is not to take glory but to save humanity. Fight crime with palliatives because if the masses are hungry, they will go into crime and you may be vulnerable.”

He advised members of the public to obey the government’s sit-at-home order and social distancing to avoid the spread of the coronavirus, and to shun crime.