Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area in Rivers State, Obarilomate Ollor , has vowed to rid the council area of criminal activities to make it safe again for investors and residents.
Ollor who demonstrated his readiness to ensure that Eleme is no longer a safe haven for criminals and perpetrators of other hideous crimes as he supervised the demolition of marked illegal structures, shanties and batchers at Trailer Park, Ebubu and the dreaded Wazobia/Achara.
He described Eleme as an investment destination that should not be associated with kidnapping, armed robbery, drug abuse and other forms of criminality.
The council boss lamented that Trailer Park had become a den for men of the underworld who ripped Eleme off her pride of place as a peaceful abode and investors’ haven where businesses thrive.
“As we all know, Eleme has been in the media for the wrong reasons in the past years largely based on security issues, and this has not augur well for us. So, by the magnanimity of His Excellency, our Governor, Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike, he has directed that we cannot continue harbouring criminals in their hideouts for our place to continue to have a bad name.”
“Based on that, a period of two weeks was given for everybody in these shanties and illegal structures in Trailer Park to vacate. The period of two weeks elapsed and we still gave them more days, having informed them in advance. So, today, we have come to carry out that directive. What we expect to have now is that all the criminal hideouts in trailer park will be destroyed. Brothels where prostitutes and all forms of drug addicts and barons live will also be destroyed so that our people and residents will be safe to carry out their legal day to day activities.”
Obarilomate re-echoed his campaign advice to all criminals to vacate the LGA, change, join a faith-based church or be made to face the law.
“I advice all those who have been constituting nuisance here to drop their arms, drop the vices, and identify with the society for us to reform them and make them better persons.”
“We have identified all their dens, and I tell you, we will remove them”, he concluded.
Our correspondent reports that the chairman was driven by compassion to help one Elizabeth Obor, a young lady on crutches, whose rented house at Trailer Park has been marked for demolition.
Obor who is a student had approached him in tears and pleaded for assistance.
Responding to her plea, Ollor said, “Understandably, her own case is peculiar because we have taken note of her. She is disabled; she [has been] living with her mum and siblings for twenty five years. They are living in the midst of criminals, prostitutes and drug dealers. But what we are going to do as a government that has the mind and consciousness of the people is to relocate her. We will give her money to [enable her] relocate to another environment; we will take care of one or two things that will settle her down where she is going to.”
“But the building itself must be demolished because there are a lot of criminals and illegal structures around this vicinity, but for her own case, which is peculiar, we will definitely do something immediately”.
