By DADA AYOKHAI
In the aftermath of a protest led by the youths of Igarra in the Akoko Edo local government area, the youth leadership has presented a list of three demands aimed at bringing lasting relief to the residents of the area.
Recently, the youths staged a protest, during which they barricaded the roads leading to Igarra, the administrative headquarters of the local government.
During the protest, the youths called for urgent government intervention to address the rising cases of insecurity and the poor condition of the roads in the local government area.
Reports from Borderline News 24 indicate that Akoko Edo has become a haven for kidnappers, with several community members still held captive by them.
To address the concerns raised by the youths, Hon. Donald Okogbe, the lawmaker representing one of the constituencies in Akoko Edo, swiftly convened a meeting with the youth leadership to discuss their grievances and find lasting solutions.
It was during this meeting, held in Igarra, that the youth leadership presented their three key demands to the lawmaker.
During the peace parley between Hon Okogbe and the youths, it was said that the youths tabled a three-list demand
The youths expressed their disappointment with the current Police Area Commander and demanded his replacement with a more competent officer who has a proven track record in combating crime and addressing issues related to kidnapping.
They accused the current Police Area Commander of being aloof and unresponsive to complaints about the increasing criminal activities, particularly kidnappings, in the area, stressing that he was often hesitant in confronting violent crimes and kidnapping in the area, even when such reports were presented to him.
One specific case they mentioned involved a man named Valentine Okasime, who was kidnapped. When the incident was reported to the Area Commander, he arrived at the scene but instead of engaging with the criminals, he chose to arrest the nearby cows and took them away to an unknown location.
Again , they called for a complete overhaul of the road leading from Auchi to Igarra and extending to Ibillo.
They argued that past remedial efforts did not alleviate the problems faced by motorists who ply the route and further insisted that any reconstruction of the road come with a fifty-year warranty from a reputable contractor.
Lasts, they requested the establishment of army formation in Igarra, similar to those in Etsako and the Owan axis of the Edo North district.
In response to the various complaints by the youths, Hon. Okogbe praised them for their peaceful protest and expressed his solidarity for their cause, emphasizing that it is a significant issue that affects everyone.
He committed to organizing a town hall meeting soon to address some of the fundamental issues raised.
The town hall meeting will include crucial stakeholders such as the state Commissioner of Police, Hon. Peter Akpatason, Hon. Yekini, the Minister of State for Works, high-ranking security officials, and senior aides of Governor Okpehbolo who have direct access to him.
Additionally, he proposed the establishment of a Security Trust Fund specifically designed to address the unique security challenges facing the local government.
He stressed his intention to persuade the state government and other elected representatives from Akoko Edo to contribute to this fund to raise money for recruiting and training at least 500 vigilante members, as well as procuring modern security equipment to minimize insecurity.
Hon. Okogbe also emphasized that politically neutral and trusted youths would be involved in the Security Trust Fund to ensure active youth participation.
