By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba
Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi has hailed the State Government ban on commercial motorcyclists “Okada” in the capital territory and other flash points in the state.
Olufemi gave the nod when he received the executives and members of the Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on courtesy visit in Asaba.
He said that Okada riders have become prime source for conveying criminal elements to commit crime in the state, adding that the ban on Okada and the Metal Scavengers (Iron Condemn) would help to check the tide of crime and enable residents “sleep with their two eyes closed “.
“On the ban on Okada, I pushed for this, it might not be palatable to a lot of people, when we came we realised that there was an upsurge of crime and it became a problem.
” To check this, we look at the examples of Abuja and Lagos where government had to sit on the use of Okada and in Delta, there is a law that regulates the timing for Tricycle Operators (Keke) and Okada.
“But they have become lawless such that at the slightest provocation, people are being attacked, stabbed or killed.
“For me, we are not going to allow anybody takeover the state while we are here because people need to go about their lawful businesses and when they return from work, they should be able to sleep with their eyes closed.
“The ban on Okada may be painful but it brings more security to our people and the problems we have with them is that a lot don’t have registration number and the riders have no permit to ride, so it will be difficult to trace them when they commit crime,” Olufemi said.
He said that the command had also nabbed three-man gang who specialises in house to house robbery and car snatching on Tuesday in Asaba.
He noted that the gang came from the neighbouring States to rob in Delta, and thereafter return to their base, adding that efforts were on to arresting other members of the gang.
The CP also disclosed that he has sent some officers to keep vigil at the Second Niger Bridge to check the recent reported vandalisation at the bridge.
While commending the support from the journalists, he, however, berated some online reports emanating from certain persons as disturbing, unregulated and hasty without proper verification
He called on the apex body, the NUJ to look into the hasty nature of online reporting, while urging journalists to always verify their reports before going to the press.
According to Olufemi, the partnership with journalists is appreciated, you help us to inform the people of what the Command is doing to protect life and properties.
“It has also been for me a thing of joy, with the support from the journalists because without your publications of what we are doing in the command, nobody will know what we are actually doing.
“I am sure that you know that we have our challenges, yet in your magnanimity, most of the challenges have not been over highlighted.
“On the online reports, I have had to speak in different fora and I have complained about the unregulated nature of what is sent on online platforms.
“Where there is no editor and for most online persons, he is the reporter, editor, publisher and everything and a lot of things are sent out even without verifying.
“There is a lot of danger and I do not really know what the chapel, State council or the national is doing to check and bring them under control and under authority,” Olufemi said.
Earlier, the Chairman, Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Ifeanyi Olannye has said that the visit was to familiarise and to congratulate him on his posting to Delta.
He assured of the journalists’ continued partnership with the command to sustain the existing peace and security in the state.
He also advised the command to deploy more men and officers to strengthen the peace and security in the state at the advent of government ban on commercial motorcycle operation in the state.End.