Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, on Thursday, blamed increased unemployment rate, crime and economic recession in the country, on failing prices of crude oil.
The governor gave the blame while launching a special security operation code named “Operation Akpakwu” charged with the responsibility of flushing kidnappers, bandits and criminals out of the state.
Ayade said a lot of youths have taken to criminality as a means of livelihood, due to economic difficulty in the country, arising from #EndSars protest and COVID19.
“In recent past, the increasing number of crime within the Niger Delta and the country as a whole arising from the difficulty orchestrated by Endsars as well as Covid19 which brought a general poverty and general hardship upon the entire world, with Nigeria not an exception.
“Given that background, a lot of our citizens have taken to criminality as a means of livelihood, but as a country we have a responsibility to our youths.
“Nobody in the position of government will be happy to see a young man or woman on the streets without a job.
“Unfortunately, the falling prices of oil and the attendant consequences has dealt a great blow on our economy. Given that background we have seen rising levels of crime.
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“But as a government we have to be responsible, you recall that in the #EndSars protest, Cross River was very cautious with the use of a kinetic solution to address the challenges of hoodlums and the looting.
“But today the instruction is very clear from Abuja, you must deal decisively with any form of criminality, you must deal decisively with any form of banditry, cultism, kidnapping of any form,” the governor said.