Aso Chronicle
Let me give you an example; some years back, if you are familiar with the road from Kubwa to DeiDei to Zuba. When plying that road in the morning then, you would find policemen waiting for lift to work. Sometimes they would enter a truck or tipper carrying sand which was very dangerous and dehumanizing of the police and the police system.
Okada riders are said to constitute serious problem, I am sure you would have some recommendations or suggestions on how to curb their menace?
Yes, if you meet 10 people in Kubwa and ask them about Okada operators’ activities, nine of them would condemn their activities and each time a meeting is called, you find the okada issue taking centre stage. We have to come up with resolutions. To start with, we have two options; the first is to regulate okada operation, the second option is to go to the authorities and substitute okada with tricycles. If we want to retain the services of the okada riders, because many members of the community are involved, we have to come up with a modality that would regulate their bad behaviour.
One of these I suggested is to have all the okada riders registered at the transport department of the police; the police would do that by getting jackets and numbering them, then each okada operator would have one jacket with the number. His picture would be taken and a file opened for him.
Would you like to give a message to the community on how to cooperate with the police on security?
My message
to
the community is first of all, you must know your neighbours, at least five to 10 neighbours on your left and on your right. You should be having community meetings weekly to ensure familiarity. The meeting should be regular, even if it is monthly. This is what we do in my community. I am appealing to other communities not only in Kubwa, to be having community meetings and they should try to know one another. There is need for you to know your neighbour. I am trying to get some people of like minds to introduce something called “Know your neighbour”.
This will help the community and the police.