THE Edo State government on Wednesday said drug abuse among young people and collaboration from some residents and indigenes of some communities were factors fuelling crimes like kidnaping, killings and other criminal activities in the state.
The government also insisted that the ban on the use of commercial motorcycles outside the city remain in force just as it said commercial vehicles would soon be given numbers for easy identification and tracking having achieved 80 percent colour code compliance.
These positions were made public during a press briefing jointly addressed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua, his Public Safety and Security counterpart, Hon Festus Ebea and the Commissioner for Transportation, Hon Saturday Uwuilekhue.
Speaking, Ebea lamented the level of degeneration among young people in the use of drugs which he said was responsible for some violent crimes in the state.
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He said many of the suspects were usually handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
According to him, "When go to these places, you see our youths in very pitiable situations and that is also what gives them the mind to commit the havoc they do because they are no longer themselves.
"A man without any influence cannot just decide to slaughter a human being but you see our youths in all manner of crimes."
He said with the current security challenge across the country especially kidnapping, the state government has got approval to increase the current number of recruited forest guards who are currently on training from 500 to 1000.
According to Ebea, the 1,000 forest guards offices would be situated in Edo forests with special attention to forests in bordering states of Kogi, Ondo, Delta and some special areas in Etsako and Akoko-Edo where there are lots of mineral resources.
On his part, Afegbua, while reacting to criticism on concentration of many projects in the governor's hometown, said: "That particular axis, because it's neighboring closely with Delta State, and essentially, you know, occupying a very large expanse of uninhabited land, kidnapping became so rampant in that place, so, we needed to generate activity. And that was part of the reason and the rationale for putting a barrack in that place, to checkmate all of that, and also put a school of nursing and health technology.
"So, by the time activities are taking off in that area, then, the issue of kidnapping would be a thing of the past. And we are achieving that result already. So, I just needed to give that clarification.
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Speaking about his ministry, Uwuilekhue said the state government has received 50 CNG buses to the existing 100 buses of New Edo Line to ease residents of Edo inter-state mobility.
