Residents decry high crime rate in Maiduguri

Some Maiduguri residents on Sunday decried the high rate of crime among youths in the area.
This is coming against the backdrop of the fight against insecurity to the state and the North East zone.
Some of the residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri, said: “Peace and normalcy is back in Maiduguri but what is still lacking is law and order as citizens go about doing their normal businesses.
Others appealed to the security agencies to take measures that would foster peaceful coexistence through effective enforcement of law and order.
Mr Akindele Adewole, a resident, stated that the recklessness and high level lawlessness being exhibited by many people are making many to wonder whether the war against terror has been won.
Adewole said: “For most people who are victims of aggressive behaviour from motorists, or ineffectual law enforcement agencies and lackadaisical public officials it is not yet time to celebrate.
“Indeed it is gratifying that we can go to bed without any fear and go about our normal businesses, however we are still not unmindful about factors that gave rise to the calamitous catastrophe which engulfed us in the recent past,” he said.
Malam Sherrif Mustapha, attributed the crisis was to the breakdown of law and order, saying, “now that we are able to overcome the problem it is incumbent on us to properly examine all aspects that contributed to the rise of unlawful conduct that culminated in war.
“Considering the level of destruction and casualties of this dastardly act we must come up with solutions as to how to avert future occurrence of such incidents through carefully conducting research on the factors that gave rise to Hoko Haram insurgency in Maiduguri.”
Alhaji Bala Isyaku, a civil servant, said: “The citizens who expect decisive and formidable action against extremism, lawlessness, brigandage, political highhandedness’, brutality and thuggery demand for reassuring long term solution to the problems under review.”
Isyaku said the war against terror and extremism must be won in all spheres for enduring peace to be achieved.
“The gallant men of the armed forces that helped to eliminate the insurgents must not be let down by failing to support their gallantry through concretising their achievements by taking appropriate measures that would foster lasting peace through effective enforcement of law and order,” he said.
Malam Bashir Abdulrahman, a cleric, urged Nigerians to shun acts capable of breaching the peace.
“We must detest and distance all acts of violence in all its manifestations under whatever guise.
“Let us collectively bring the calamity brought to us by some misguided miscreants to logical end by embracing a lasting peace in our country,” Abdulrahman said. (NAN)