Crime Upsurge Linked to Abacha

PM News (distributed by Africa News Service)
1 September 1999

Lagos (P.M. News, September 1, 1999) - The recent upsurge in crime wave in Nigerian cities, especially Lagos, has been linked to the defunct and dreaded special Task Force of the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha.

The Chairman of the Police/ Community Relations Committee (PCRC) for both Isokoko Division, Agege and Area "G" Command, Elder Dapo Falana who made this observation in Lagos stated that after the demise of Abacha on 8 June last year, his predecessor, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar did nothing to disarm the notorious hit squads.

According to him, the task force had enormous quantity of arms and ammunitions under their control, adding that there is no record that these weapons were retrieved from them.

"There is nobody that has told us that the arms and ammunitions have been collected from these boys. They are still around and heavily armed. So it is very likely that these weapons have been finding their ways into the hands of the hoodlums who use them for violent

crimes," he stressed.

Elder Falana who is also the Regent of Dopemu town, as well as the National President of the Hoteliers Associations of Nigeria (HAN) was addressing newsmen in his office. He blamed ECOMOG soldiers from war- torn countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone for aggravating

the crime situation in the country.

He accused the ECOMOG soldiers of smuggling weapons of destruction into the country which later get into the hands of the robbers.

On the way forward, he called for the total revamping of the country's economy, a re-orientation of the Nigerian police as well as fully equipping the police force.

He also called for an end to communal clashes in the country, urging the traditional rulers to live up to their responsibilities in their domains and avoid involving themselves in politics to regain their lost glory.

On why the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) could not perform, Elder Falana retorted: "During Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa's regime, Operation Sweep had Army, Navy, Airforce and police personnel. Now RRS only has the police. As a result, the police is overstretched. Similarly,

they are not well-equipped and their welfare package is poor."

By Anthony Okoro

Copyright 1999 P.M. News. Distributed via Africa News Online.