Edo state government is currently grappling with insecurity both in the metro and rural areas. These are inherited security challenges passed on due to successive government neglect in that area of our existence. My focus here is on metro insecurity due to ugly incidents of Cult killings,ritual killings and kidnapping.
Without embellishing this piece of with attractive theories and verbosity. I will straight forward go into suggested ways of curbing the metro insecurity.
1. The government should insist on the installation of Close Circuit Television Monitor to cover recommended ranges. These monitors can be installed by the government across the metro and linked to a central system of data collection. The government can also via Town Planning legislation mandate private property owners to install CCTV on their properties to cover recommended range, with links to a central data collection unit. This measure will help identify, track and apprehend perpetrators of crimes within the metro. It will be complimentary if the government will expand the installation of Solar powered Street lights too.
2. The government can introduce a security bill that makes it mandatory for all property owners in the State to submit the photo identity and bio data of occupants of their property to a government appointed body and law enforcement agencies. These data will be subject to periodic update. Failure to so do will result in fines and other punishment to the owners. This will help the government have an idea of the people in metro for purpose of crime prevention, tracking and arrest of criminals.
3. The security bill can also recognise the role of Community leaders, Odionwere of Streets and Communities, Okaighele (Youth leaders) in the Campaign to identify people within their area of Jurisdiction to the authorities and carry out security measures along with the established security agencies.
4. The Security agencies especially the Edo State Security Corps should undergo intelligence training under local and foreign intelligence officers. This will enable them catch up with the use of Morden security and surveillance devices in their onerous task of securing their environment.
5. The synergy between Banks, Telecommunication companies and our Security agencies should be exploited ,to enable the discovery of money and phone communication that fuels these crimes. Including proceeds of the crimes.
6. The Security agencies like the Police should be given motor bikes to replace foot patrol of areas beyond the scope of High way stop and search party. These Motor bikes are lower on fuel consumption and maneuverable in most terrain.
7. Our children’s education curriculum should be expanded to include subjects on Security and Self defence.
8. Drugs motivate crimes. The State can also enact its own law to criminalise illicit drug circulation and consumption. Sources of drug supply should be identified, arrested and prosecuted. We can have our Edo State law and Agency against Illicit drugs.
Conclusively, my belief is that these steps are necessary to curb the current violent crimes in Edo State metro, though they may not be without one or two challenges due to the dynamic nature of crime. However we must also review our system and improve upon them as the need arises. We must not give up the onerous task of security that we owe our society. This is why we collectively came together to surrender our sovereignty to one entity called “Government” to give us protection and safety from the ills of the State of nature.
We must resist going back to that State of Nature that Thomas Hobbes in his book Leviathan described as ” Nasty, Brutish and Short”.
Ewaen C. Eduwu, Esq
Ewaeneduwu@gmail.com