By Peter Oriyomi
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Urban Alert, has cried out to the Osun State government to rescue residents from armed scavengers.
The NGO, who said activities of the scavengers are posing threats to lives and properties of residents, lamented that the security agents are unable to curb their negative activities.
In a letter to the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the NGO said it has carried out an investigation which revealed that the scavengers carried dangerous weapons like knives and daggers while operating their trades.
The letter signed by the organization’s Executive Director, Anthony Adejuwon, reads: “Recently, there has been an astronomical increase in havoc caused by scrap scavengers in Osun State.
“Scrap scavengers go around to pack metal equipment, kitchen utensils and cart away people’s properties. Several times, they have been reported to security agencies without any significant positive outcome.
“Preliminary investigations through our engagement channels have revealed that the scavengers also go around with knives and daggers.
“They have the potential to attack law-abiding citizens that attempt to resist them from stealing their properties.
“This implies that their activities threaten the safety of lives and properties of over five million residents in Osun.”
The Urban Alert advised the Adeleke administration to restructure and relaunch the identity system for scrap scavengers with which they would be operating in the state as done by previous administrations to check their negative activities.
The letter continues: “The past administrations in the state had designed an identity system through which the nefarious activities of scrap scavengers were curbed.
“A database was established that captured the basic identity of these scavengers, and identity cards and marked jackets were issued to them. Thus, this system was able to checkmate their excesses at that time.
“However, this system is no longer in place and has fueled the increase in their nefarious activities.
“We, therefore, urge Your Excellency to restructure and relaunch the identity system for scrap scavengers through which the primary data of scavengers working in the state will be captured.
“An identity system will enable residents of the state to quickly identify the scavengers, engage them in case of any mishap and forestall violence in the communities.”
