CRIME WAVE IN KOGI

Crime Wave: Kogi State Government Harps on Job Creation

 

Governor Idris Wada


With increasing cases of violent crimes in Kogi State, the Governor Idris Wada-led administration recently introduced a new programme that has made it possible for the teeming unemployed youths in the state to acquire new skills, writes Shola Oyeyipo

At nightfall in Kogi State citizens fear the terror of the night. Aptly described as a confluence state, the fear of terror now makes citizen of a revered ‘confluence state’ to huddle together in fear day and night. This, the state governor, Idris wada is rolling up his sleeve to put at bay. He is creating job to stem crime wave.

With six tertiary institutions across the state churning out graduates every year, there is a growing rate of youth unemployment. A trip round the length and breadth of the state reveals the quantum of able-bodied young men and women in Lokoja, Koton-Karfe, Kabba, Mopa, Egbe, Ankpa, Idah, Ayingba, Ogori-Magongo, Okene, Ajaokuta and several other parts of the state who are seeking the non-existing job opportunities.

While acknowledging that there is youth unemployment and reiterating the disposition of the administration to the issue of gainfully employing the youths in the state, the Special Adviser to governor on Media and Strategy, Mr. Jacob Edi, enthused, “The government of Captain Idris Wada is leaving no stone unturned to create jobs and make the youth economically independent.”

According to him, “it would be foolhardy to pretend that there is no issue of unemployment in the state. During his electioneering campaigns, one major issue Captain Wada kept harping upon was that the issue of unemployment must be redressed. And that was why during his campaign, even as attractive as money sharing is during campaigns, he stood his ground that throwing money at the youths as the practice in many places, is not only dehumanising but unacceptable. Rather, he believes that young peoples’ energy should be harnessed and redirected for the benefit of humanity, mankind and the good people of Kogi State.

“Just recently, there was a commencement of the official and conscious redirection package for the youths of Kogi State. Accordingly, over about 500 very promising youths were brought together to flag off a youth empowerment programme. At the end of the one week training programme, they would have been mentally, financially, psychologically prepared to put to use their talents with government support and become productive to themselves,” Edi noted.

He was sure that by this effort, government would tremendously reduce all matter of crime arising from unemployment, including thuggery and petty crimes.

“Rather than play to the gallery and get a temporal applause what is being done is systemic; well thought out programme of development that will impact on the larger majority of the people of Kogi State. And they are programmes that will endure and stand the test of time,” Edi assured the people.

Despite the promises, it is most crucial to emphasise that the state government needs to take some major political and economic decisions that will quickly emancipate the people from poverty if it truly intends to make positive impacts on the lives of the people and without which it may be impossible to genuinely feel the dividends of democracy.

There have been reported cases of killings in Okene and environ almost on a weekly basis. Apart from armed robbery attacks on banks which have assumed frightening dimension, many innocent customers and security operatives have lost their lives in the process. From all indications, the situation is not in any way going to abate soon.

The relative peace enjoyed in the Central senatorial district of the state which has Okene as headquarters, was shattered on Monday, August 6, 2012 when unknown gunmen attacked worshippers at Deeper Life Bible Church located at Eika-Adagu, opposite Federal College of Education, Okene during an evening service. Twenty persons lost their lives during the unprovoked attack. Two soldiers who were patrolling the place to maintain law and order were brutally gunned down the following day by 4pm around Okene LGA Secretariat.

The two deadly attacks sent instant shocks across the state. The attacks sent fear even to people living several kilometres away. When Governor Idris Wada visited the scene of the two attacks, he wore a bullet proof on top of his caftan while his security personnel were all on a red alert to ward off any imminent attack.

The two deadly attacks created enormous anxiety as the people of the state feared that the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram had eventually arrived Kogi to unleash terror on innocent citizens.

The attacks took place at the time the security agencies were trying to smoke out members of the deadly sect which made many believe that it was a backlash. But the state’s Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Katsina, ruled that out when he said: “What we witnessed in Okene recently is just a case of armed robbery and politically motivated assassination,” adding that “there is no Boko Haram in Kogi State.”

Before the unfortunate incident, security operatives in the state worked tirelessly to secure the state from any external attack. They uncovered no fewer than five different bomb-making factories in Okene area in the last 10 months and also recovered several caches of arms and ammunitions. While this was on, no fewer than five police stations and banks were destroyed with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by the suspected invaders.

Since the occurrence of these deadly attacks which destroyed human beings and properties worth millions of naira, the question on the lips of many people has been: “Why are things going this way in Kogi?” The ready answer is that quite a large number of youths are jobless. This, Idris Wada says, “I will create enough job to cut crime wave”.