Borno government demolishes hideout of touts, weed smokers
In Maiduguri, makeshift don’t only serve as mini commercial outlets but also some hideouts for criminality
Government of Borno state had on Saturday during the monthly sanitation programme, demolishes shops and shanties where hoodlums use as joints for sales and abuse of substances.
It was a busy weekend for the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice, Barrister Kaka-Shehu Lawan and other relevant government officials when they supervised earth moving equipment that was used to pull down the proscribed building.
The attorney general who is also the supervising commissioner for the ministry of environment targeted makeshift shops along the main highway that lead to Maiduguri, the state capital.
The demolition exercise was the latest exercise embarked upon by the state government not inky to sanitise the capital city, but also to inhibit the rising usage of “Indian helps and other related narcotic by youth. The
The ministry has an existing Environmental Task Force made up of Police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Borno State Environmental Protection Agency, BOSEPA, Civilian JTF among others.
The task force had all through Saturday cleared all make shift shops at the Legacy Garden Housing Estates Gate, which is cited at Bulumkutu ward.
The Commissioner informed The Humanitarian Times that; “government is tired of reports increasing cases associated with consumption of Indian hemp and other narcotic substance that are mainly sold by makeshift shop owners along the streets.”
Barrister Lawan said the demolition was sequel to several warnings and ‘Removal Orders’ by the government which felt on many deaf ears.
Hence the government’s need to take decisive measures, while stressing that, “anyone with genuine land documents from Government is to be exempted upon tendering it to the Task Force for scrutiny”.
“You can see that in the cause of ongoing demolitions, illicit substances such as Cannabis, and other dangerous drugs such as codeine, tramadol, charms and weapons such as machetes, knives, bow and arro Jnws, were recovered during the exercise.
“Most of these shanties and illegal structures are occupied by rascals and criminals who would terrorise innocent citizens around, snatching of cellphones and dispossessing people of their belongings even in a broad daylight and late at night.
“It was an eyesore with these miscreants and their collaborators freely smoking and selling illegal drugs and other substances including prostitution by underage boys and girls in the state, and the present administration under the leadership of governor Babagana Zulum would not fold its arms to allow it continue”. Lawal stated.
