Authorities in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states have embarked on measures to tackle the new phase of insecurity following the degradation of the Boko Haram insurgency.

The states, which are the worst hit by insurgency in North-East, are now experiencing rising crimes like robbery, gangsterism, kidnapping, rustling and gender-based violence.

In Borno, Governor Babagana Zulum summoned an emergency meeting with heads of security agencies on Wednesday and ordered a clamp down on gangs known as “Marlians” terrorising residents of Maiduguri.

“These syndicates who specialised in handsets (mobile phones) snatching, daylight robbery, using locally made weapons, have graduated to killings,” Mr Zulum said.

Mr Zulum said the youth not only killed themselves in gang fights but also attacked security personnel and members of the public.

He cited the recent killing of a policeman and an unidentified man by such gangs almost in the same area, adding that government would not allow such acts to continue.

“Security agencies are tasked to come up with recommendations and far-reaching decisions to curtail such activities within Maiduguri and environs,” Mr Zulum said.

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the state under the umbrella of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno (NECSOB) also raised concern over the gangs’ activities and urged urgent action.

Leader of NECSOB, Bulama Abiso, said there was growing youth restiveness and cases of criminal activities ranging from drug abuse, phone snatching, burglary, theft and murder perpetrated by some gangs in Maiduguri.

The newly appointed Commissioner of Police in Borno, Yusufu Mohammed, who embarked on raids on black spots in the Maiduguri metropolis, said 78 suspects had been arrested, including 10 suspects that killed a policeman.

“The Command has taken bold steps to checkmate youths’ involvements in violent crime, criminalities and anti-social behaviour,” Mr Mohammed said.

In Adamawa, apart from the menace of such youths known as “Shila boys” in Yola, there are also waves of kidnapping affecting farming activities in some areas of the state.

Umar Sheriff, a resident of Yolde-Pate in Yola South LGA, said kidnapping had become worrisome despite patrol by security operatives.

The state branch Chairman of the All Farmers Association in Nigeria (AFAN), Usman Michika, also spoke on the menace of insecurity in farming activities and urged more proactive measures.

SP Suleiman Nguroje, the police spokesperson in Adamawa, who listed recent successes in containing criminal activities, urged for more stakeholder support.

“The Commissioner of Police (CP), Afolabi Babatola, is working out modalities to reposition the command’s technical intelligence to ensure proactive policing,” Mr Nguroje said.

In Yobe, the spokesman of the police command, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, said except for recent cases of rape, there was a lull in violent crimes in the state.

He reiterated the command’s commitment to contain crime and urged public support, adding that security was a collective responsibility.

(NAN)