Zone 5 AIG Decries Arms Proliferation, Increasing Crime in Niger Delta

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 5, Benin, Mr. Musa Daura, has decried the increasing rate of crime among youths of the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria.

Daura who spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting with youths and local vigilante organisations of the region, held in Benin City, capital of Edo State, linked the high rate of crime in the region to proliferation of arms and ammunition among the youths in several communities. He said figures available to the Zone indicated that 80 per cent of crimes recorded in the three states of Edo, Delta and Bayelsa, were perpetrated by the youths.

The AIG expressed worry that rather than channel their energies towards nation building, many young Nigerians take up arms illegally to cause evil in society. “Unfortunately, many youths, today, have become a menace, propagating all heinous crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, rape, etc. Available statistics have shown that 80 percent of crimes committed in society are perpetrated by the youths. Crime is evil and brings bad reputation to the perpetrators,” Daura said, just as he urged youth groups to collaborate with the police in the provision of useful information as stakeholders in the fight against crime.

Some residents who spoke during the interactive session, appealed for the provision of adequate protection for police informants, even as they called on the security agencies to check the allegations of release of criminal suspects from police custody and slow response to distress call.