Endorsing, celebrating ill-gotten wealth fuels crime – CP Abaniwonda

***Advises insecurity alarmists in Delta to provide verifiable information

Insecurity in Nigeria will be drastically reduced if people flaunting unexplainable wealth are treated as common criminals, avoided by members of the society, and are reported to law enforcement agencies for arrest and prosecution.

Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, made the assertion through the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe on Wednesday, while speaking as special guest of Orientation Panorama, the Peoples program on Voice of Delta 97.9 FM Radio.

CP Abaniwonda decried the new trend wherein some parents and unpatriotic citizens celebrate and endorses social status of criminal elements flaunting unexplainable wealth, adding that this was and still one of the major reasons why crime and insecurity is consistently on the rise in Nigeria, and in underdeveloped and developing countries of the world.

He disclosed that advance fee fraud, looting of public funds, kidnapping for ransom, among other forms of criminality is responsible for high cases of insecurity, occasioned by increasing urges by young people to “make money” through dubious and life threatening ways and means.

CP Abaniwonda stated that the state police Command will continue to ensure protection of life and property across the three senatorial districts, adding that in recent times the command recovered several arms and ammunition which included; AK 47 and AK 49 riffles from criminal gangs operating in different parts of the state.

He assured that Delta State will continue to enjoy good measure of peace and security, while urging insecurity alarmists on social media platforms to always back their allegations with verifiable information and data where available to assist the police and other sister security agencies to do their job better and in real time.

Abaniwonda commended the governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, for all the assistance given so far to security agencies in the state, noting that efforts of government has contributed in no small measures to effective policing, intelligence gathering, protection of life and property.

“Crime fighting is a joint responsibility of law enforcement agencies and the citizens through credible information gathering and sharing, genuine crime alerts, arrest and prosecution of criminal elements among us.

“One of the reasons for the high rate of criminality and insecurity is the new trend wherein some parents and unpatriotic citizens endorse and celebrate ill-gotten wealth or unexplainable riches flaunted by criminal elements.

“And one of the result oriented strategies to drastically reduce crime and insecurity is for all of us to stop endorsing and celebrating people displaying unexplainable wealth. When you celebrate them, other young people join them, and thereby poses a threat of security risk to our state and country.

“Parents should inculcate sound moral values and discipline in their children, discourage them from criminal activities.

“Parents should desist from telling their children to go and make money, when you know that they are not well educated or with no corresponding vocational skills to make money. They must first be educated or acquire genuine professional skills, not yahoo or advance fee fraud skills.

“Recently, we recovered some arms and ammunition, including AK 47, AK 49 and sophisticated weapons from criminal gangs across the state. After investigation, they shall be charged to Courts of competent jurisdictions. My men are working round the clock to protect life and property in Delta State.

“People raising insecurity alerts on social media platforms should provide accurate information and data where applicable to enable law enforcement agents do their job better.

Orientation Panorama is an initiative of Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, in conjunction with Delta Broadcasting Service Asaba, to sensitize Deltans about the policies, programmes and achievements of the state governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, every Wednesday from 3-4pm live on Voice of Delta 97.9 FM radio.