By Tochukwu Eluwa-Delta
The Senior Special Assistant on security to the Governor of Delta State, Chief Casssidi Illoba has called on security agencies in the state to start arresting owners of property inhibited by internet fraudsters popularly known as “Yahoo Boys”. The Senior Aide to the governor made this call in Asaba when having an interaction with newsmen were he gave an overview of the security situation in the state.
Chief Casisdy stated that “how can landlords lease out properties ,duplexes worth millions of naira in rentage to individuals who has many luxurious cars, but stay at home all day without having any known business.
“How can you give out your properties to individuals without been aware of their source of livelihood, yahoo is not a legitimate business”.
He accused some of those parading themselves as yahoo boys as been ritualists who live ostentatious life .Chief Casisdy revealed that yahoo activity is now a social menace, youths no longer go to schools ,they have taking to internet fraud rather than building a legitimate future for themselves.
On the Issue of herdsmen in the state ,the Security Aide to the governor accused middlemen mediating between these Fulani herdsmen and the community as well as government as being the cause of the problem between herders and farmers. He pointed out that these middlemen most times misrepresent the herdsmen as well as the host communities and the government.
Chief Casisdy stated that when he came on board as a security aide to the governor, he scrapped that middlemen system.
The Governor’s security aide posited that “Delta State is enjoying relative peace from the Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis because he choose to deal directly with the real Fulani herdsmen in their various camps across the state” .He attributed the peace enjoyed by both herdsmen and their host communities to the undertaken he made both parties to sign.
“When farms are destroyed those herdsmen camping around the area are made to pay for the damages for the destruction, same thing happens when communities rustle cows belonging to these herdsmen”.
Chief Casisdy also said ,he has enjoined the real Fulani herdsmen grazing cows to report directly to security agencies whenever they have any issue,he also called on host communities not to also take laws into their hands even if their farms are destroyed, he called on these host communities to approach security agencies, who will make these herdsmen to compensated owners of destroyed farmlands.
Chief Casisdy however took a swipe on the youths of Delta Communities, whom he accused of leasing out lands and issue right of grazing to herders. He revealed that once these herdsmen pays for these lands you have given them the right and ownership of such land.
On the issue of kidnapping and cultism in the state he reiterated the commitment of the Okowa led government to fight cultism in the state to a stand still.
“The ongoing process to establish community policing in the state, is aimed at assisting security agencies to fight all manner of criminalities in the state”.
Chief Casisdy posited that ,“since the Okowa led government came on board cult related crisis in the state has been reduced especially in Asaba the state capital. The destruction of the Abraka market was geared towards stamping out criminality in the state capital, he said the market became a safe heaven for thieves, criminals and drug peddlers. Those doing business in the market has been advised severally by the government to report the criminals among them,but out of fear they refuse to heed to this advice and this necessitated the destruction and relocation of the Abraka market in a bid to ensure peace in the state capital”.
Chief Casisdy exonerated security agencies from the accusations of colluding with criminals and abating crime in the state.He stated in clear terms that more than 95% of the security agencies in the state are honest,dedicated and committed to duty, “however in every twelve there is a Judas, there is no denying that they are might be few bad eggs among these security agencies”, he argued that the bad eggs are very few compared to those who are honest and genuine.He also advised youths in the state to stay off crime ,especially kidnapping and cultism.
