Oluwafemi Fatoye
Suspected mobile phone thieves that allegedly stabbed and killed a Kaduna based Navy officer, Lieutenant Commander M. Buba, have been arrested by police operatives in Kaduna State.
The victim was said to be attending to his vehicle’s flat tyre when he was attacked by hoodlums in Kawo area of the State.
The murder suspects were amongst the 27 criminal suspects that were paraded by the police in the State, reports say during the lastest crackdown.
In a related development, the Kaduna State Government has inaugurated a security joint outfit aimed at checkmating emerging crimes particularly in the metropolis where violent attacks, phone snatching and gangsterism thrive.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, inaugurated a Special Joint Task Force on Community Policing and Drug Control last Tuesday.
The outfit which was officially inaugurated the previous day by the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, on his, at the Council Chambers of the Deputy Governor’s Office, Kashim Ibrahim House, is to immediately swing into action.
Balarabe emphasized the administration’s commitment to public safety and crime prevention, stating firmly that “Kaduna City will not become a haven for gangsters”.
“The situation we have found ourselves in, though regrettable, can be surmounted with diligence, dedication, and commitment on the part of all relevant stakeholders and community members”, she said.
Balarabe who explained that the surge in urban crime is not unconnected with various socio-economic pressures and urbanization, noted that while progress has been made against rural banditry, criminal activities are now shifting into cities.
“What we are beginning to experience amounts to a form of urban terrorism, and we should not allow it to take root,” she warned.
She noted that the task force has a clear and unambiguous mandate: to root out all forms of crime and drug abuse in Kaduna’s urban areas, restore law and order, and rebuild public confidence in security institutions.
Emphasizing collaboration and civic responsibility, she called on residents to support the task force’s work by reporting known hideouts of drug dealers, criminal gangs, and handlers of stolen goods.
“Our communities must reject a culture of silence. If you see something untoward in your neighborhoods, please endeavor to say something,” she urged.
She also charged members of the security task force to approach their duties with integrity, vigilance, and full commitment to the rule of law, warning against any form of compromise.
“This is a sacred duty deserving of full dedication. Together, we shall reclaim our streets, restore peace, and give our young people better alternatives than crime and addiction”, she added.
The newly inaugurated task force, to be coordinated by the state Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, comprises operatives from key Federal and state security and enforcement agencies.
They include the Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Others are the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service, Operation Fushin KADA, Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA).
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