Galadima area in Maiduguri, Borno state, notorious for atrocities and criminalities came under the bulldozers last Tuesday, on the order of Governor Kashim Shettima, and his action has left emotions in the atmosphere. SADIQ ABUBAKAR reports
Security challenge in the state Following intelligence report, the Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, last week, demolished areas in the state it considered as a security threat, like the notorious Galadima area in Maiduguri, commonly known as home to drug dealers, prostitutes and criminals. The action of the state government is in line with security and welfare policy of the state. The governor said the decision was necessary to save the city from breeding new set of criminals after coming out of the horrors of Boko Haram. Governor Shettima as the chief security officer of the state is saddled with protection of life and property of his people in the state. It is no longer news that in the past nine years Borno state has been bedeviled with criminal activities masterminded by Boko Haram sect. And which in no time, took terrorists dimension that has continued to terrorise Borno state and other parts of the northeast of Nigeria. Governor Shettima, following the security challenge swung into action to rout the criminals out of the state, while the Nigeria military on the other hand, has been battling to curtail the presence of Boko Haram in the state. Criticisms Blueprint observes that the raid Galadima of commercial and social gathering zone of Maiduguri city and arrest of sex hawkers or prostitutes has been generating criticisms. During the raid and subsequent demolition of hotels, lodges, clubs in Galadima area of Maiduguri metropolis owners of the property were also arrested. Governor Shettima tasked the state security chiefs within 10 days to demolish all the hide outs. Blueprint gathered that at the Iftar or Ramadan Fast breakfast with state security chiefs, the Governor announced the demolition and subsequently, a task force was constituted and swung into action. Executive order to raid In carrying out the executive order, on Tuesday, the taskforce raided the area and made some arrest apart from confi scation of some items ahead of the demolition exercise of the hotels, lodges and clubs at the expenses of the hoteliers, customers and visitors that patronize the social places, mostly at night between 6-10 pm, daily bubbling and hassling, rocking. Our Correspondent found out that the area under demolition was the entertainment free zone of the state, in spite of the security situation in town as most of the customers that patronize the places were teenage girls, divorcees, widows, students from tertiary institutions, dropouts, missing teenage girls, teenage boys or adolescents, the young and the even the old. They, sell condoms, alcohol, hard drugs, beer, wine, cigarette, Indian hemp, tramol, even cocaine, among other hard drugs and intoxicating syrups or solutions were on sale and being consumed by all and sundry at will freely. The plan of the state government is after demolition it will reconstruct the area which is located few kilometers away from the demolished Markas of late Boko Haram Leader, Mohammed Yusuf. Expectedly, the action attracted lot of reactions and counter reactions from residents of Maiduguri. Benefi ciaries of the unwholesome activities Those who benefit from the activities and make a living through prostitutes, sale of drugs, condoms, sex piles, alcohol, roasted and dry chicken, fish and meat, operate rooms for short time sex, lodge over night for those who cannot go home after 10 pm- the curfew time, commercial vehicle drivers or town service keke NAPEP , provision stores and shops owners, food canteen and restaurant operators, pepper soup among others, are however counting their loses and sore displeased with the government. Residents speak Comment on the demolition, a lecturer with University of Maiduguri, Malam Al Qassim Al Hussain, said,” in fact, when we heard of the news on radio and television, majority of the people close to us were impressed with what the government did”. “Some of the university community members commended the bold steps of the governor for coming out to tell the state security chiefs who are aware of all the atrocities and criminalities taking place and mostly by their boys who patronize the area at night taking advantage of the curfew period to relax without any interference. “In fact, from what I have been hearing, the entire area was turned as mami market or more than mami as most of the things happening there cannot take place in mami because in mami there are rules and regulations or laws guiding every transaction or activity there. “But that is not the case here in Galadima area where they have turned the area to sex and alcohol zone making these our victims of Boko Haram insurgency orphans and widows as well as even the widowers and adulterers patronizing the area. “They are invariably, encouraging our daughters and wives to be prostitutes and not to stay at home or their matrimonial homes, especially with this poverty level where survival has become a terrible thing. “We welcome it and support the government to continue what it’s doing there and reconstruct the area for better economic development”. But a resident, Mr. Ike Oguchukwu , said “What government did is wrong. It affected our people. They are also human beings and can live and enjoy their lives as Nigerian citizens in Borno state. “So, the governor could have humanly asked them to pack and leave giving them enough time to move out with their things. “Government should have asked them to prepare and relocate to another place by even providing them with alternative place even outside the town for them to continue with their businesses. “With this action now, these people operating and owning things there will become jobless, lose their life time investments and property without compensation”. A student of Ramatpoly, Department if Building Engineering, Musa Yakubu said,” We know what is happening in Galadima area but we don’t go there and those who go they used to tell us many bad things that are taking place there.” Hoteliers’ plea But the 21-Member Hoteliers association operating at Galadima Area of Maiduguri city have appealed to the Borno state government to reconsider its decision on demolition of the 21 existing hotels and lodges by allowing them to convert their buildings to residential accommodation for the people. They also said that they were not ignorant of the law and ignorant of the law was not an excuse as Nigerian Railways Corporation NRC was aware of their operations and existence in the area hence the land belongs to the federal government. The Spokesman of the Hoteliers, Mr. Amaechi John, who addressed journalists Thursday, in Maiduguri, urged the state government to reverse its decision and temper justice with mercy not to demolish their structures of over N50-N60 million having invested in the area as loan facility from the bank which was yet to be prepaid. He said most of the hoteliers have been operating business in the area for almost 40 years and also lived in Maiduguri for over 40 years as well , gave birth to their children in Maiduguri and never left Maiduguri even at the peak of the insurgency running their businesses in the state. Government’s resolve However, Borno State Government issued a 3- Day Demolition Notice to Galadima and other illegal cartels within Maiduguri and its environs. The committee, chaired by state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Hon. Kaka Shehu Lawan, alongside Commissioner For Land and Survey, Ministry of Land and Survey, Borno state, Hon. Sugun Mai Mele, issued a three day ultimitum to vacate the area or face the wrath of law, from 29 May 2018 to 02 June to 2018. The Committee stated that there will be no sacred cow and will strictly adhere to the 3-day ultimatum notice without extension. Emotions apart, the demolition of the criminal joints is not only socially significant but would also help clean up the metropolis of many societal ills in the overall interest the people.
