By:Gbenga Akingbule
Security agencies in Borno State on Saturday swung into action to halt wanton killings of scrap metal scavengers by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in two Local Government Areas.
Gatekeepers News reports that the security operatives have also commenced a detailed investigation into activities of the the scrap metal dealers with a view to finding out if they are involved in criminal or illegal vandalism of private and government properties.
At least 55 scrap metal scavengers were recently killed in two Local Government Areas of Kalabalge and Dikwa, a situation which prompted the state Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum to hand down directive to security agencies to unravel cause of the killings and associated issues.
Briefing Journalists in Maiduguri the Borno State capital at the state Mechanical Workshop where truck loads of scrap metals were displayed, the Commissioner of Police ( CP) Abdu Umar who spoke on behalf of heads of security agencies in the state said that recent killings have been targeted at scrap metal scavengers.
CP Umar stated that the matter has become worrisome hence the need to carry out a thorough investigation and fish out perpetrators of the crime.
“We are interrogating the whole issue with a view to coming up with a concrete report to serve the government so that the government will, in turn, come up with a policy that will regulate scrap metal business,” Umar said.
The CP added that “The government had had serious and terrible experiences where government infrastructure have been vandalised and individual vehicles were cannibalized.”
The Borno Police Boss noted that the security situation surrounding killing of the alleged scrap metal dealers became more worrisome when the leader of the the scrap dealers association in the state revealed that none of their members were killed.
“To our greatest surprise, the Chairman of the Scrap Dealers Association said none of the scavengers killed in Kalabalge and Dikwa Local Government Areas are their members. This is the reason why we must investigate deeply.”
The Chairman of the Scrap Dealers Association in Borno State Alhaj Umar Usman had said that Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) scavenging for scrap metals were those killed in Kalabalge and Dikwa and not his members.
“As far as I’m concerned as the Chairman of scrap dealers association with over 3000 members here in Borno State, none of my members were killed in Kalabalge and Dikwa. Those killed were IDPs scavenging for scrap metals to sell and feed their families,” Usman said
Hussaini Hamza, one of the scrap dealers whose truck load of scrap metal was intercepted by security operatives in the last six months want the government to hasten up its investigation and allow him and his colleagues go back to their business.
“I don’t buy or sell vandalised government or private individual properties; most of us only buy scrap metals after due investigation and in the presence of village heads, community leaders and local security operatives. I have lots dependants, the government should please hasten its investigation,” Hamza said.
