Following the massive looting of both government and private property in Gombe State, the security council on Monday directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Barrister Zubairu Umar, to come up with operational modalities to regulate scrap dealers popularly known as ‘Yan Jari bola’.
This is as protesters are needing their services to sell off items carted from the offices and business premises.
Disclosing this at the Council Chamber of Gombe State Government House, Secretary to the Government of the State Professor Ibrahim Njodi, said the meeting was called at the instance of Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, to accentuate the aftermath of the violent protest.
Njodi noted that earlier Governor Yahaya had hosted stakeholders’ before the protest in a bid to understand their challenges and feel their pulse before the mass action.
He said, “However, despite the efforts we rose up on the 1st of August to witness some sporadic cases of protest across the state. Council in it wisdom to understand how to go about it in the future came up with wide ranging resolutions. Council commends security agencies for standing firm to ensuring normalcy in Gombe State during the nationwide protest. Council commends the governor for stabilising the situation and visiting the affected areas where he consoled the victims and conducted the assessment on the extent of damage and destructions to make recommendations any necessary government support. Council appreciates conducts of law abiding citizens who resisted and refused to partake in the violent protest in Gombe State.
While noting that scrap dealers’ activities could be an escape root for property looters, Njodi said, “Council noted the concern of the public on scrap sellers popularly known as baban bola or Yan Jari bola, and directed the Attorney General to come up with operational modalities to regulate their activities in Gombe State.”
He called on parents to urge their children against the path of crime, while harping on the effort of community in combating crime, “Council calls on parents to take up the responsibilities towards curbing anti-social behaviours among their children. Council emphasised that security is everybody’s business and urges citizens to volunteer information on the communities. Council resolved and directed Local Government chairmen, community leaders are complied with,” Njodi added.
Also, Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Usman, said peaceful protest is allowed, saying that citizens have a right to peaceful protest.
Usman said, “But then there are procedures the reason, we recorded some problems. The procedure is that before you embark on protest you must write to notify the police through commissioner, we will now invite you to clarify some issues especially your grievances.”
Explaining further Usman added, “We will discuss route to be followed, to the places you want to deliver the grievance letter to give you protection. We will give you protection to prevent hoodlums from infiltrating your ranks not to cause havoc but unfortunately, nobody came with something like that. We did our best as directed by the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, until when at a stage they became violent.”
“Professionally, together with other security agencies we were able to contain the situation. Lawful protests are allowed the only thing we don’t allow is for people to hijack it and turn it to violence. Normalcy is returning to the state, we thank the residents for the support,” Usman added.
