By George OPARA
Six itinerant scavengers, otherwise known as ‘Condemn iron traders have been arrested and under interrogation pending arraignment for allegedly vandalizing state-owned infrastructure including schools in Benin, Edo state capital.
In a statement, the state government disclosed that, in a bid to restore order in the state capital, it had issued a 21-day ultimatum to Arewa residents—mostly scavengers—living in the moat along Lagos Street and its environs to vacate the area and secure proper accommodation.
But Chairman of the Edo State Public Property Protection Committee, Eugene Okoloise, made this known in Benin City while briefing newsmen on the activities of the committee and the damage allegedly caused by the scavengers to public infrastructure.
Okoloise, who invited leaders of scrap dealers to the briefing, warned that the state government would no longer tolerate any form of vandalism of public property.
He said, “Those we arrested are currently at the police station and will be charged in court on Monday. We have about six suspects in custody.
“We cannot continue like this. We cannot, in a bid to avoid claims of marginalisation, allow individuals to destroy state infrastructure.
“That will not be tolerated. We have accepted them as part of our society, but that does not mean we should allow them to destroy public assets.
We have given those living in the moat on Lagos Street 21 days to find proper accommodation. I grew up in the North, where we lived in rented apartments. You cannot be living in a moat and expect to be treated with dignity.”
“They have sold all the chairs and even removed the roofing sheets. We are also using this opportunity to appeal to their leaders to speak to their members. If they want to continue doing business in the state, they must contribute to fixing the school.
They must repair it. If they fail to do so, they should forget about operating in the state. The situation is getting out of hand,” he added.
In reaction, Chairman of the Scrap Dealers Association in Edo State, Alhaji Abbas Garuba, said measures had been put in place to regulate the activities of members and identify those operating outside the association.
He said, “We have introduced working hours for our members. From Monday to Saturday, work is permitted between 7am and 7pm. Anyone operating outside these hours is not one of us and should be considered illegal.
We have also directed that no member should work on Sundays, as we have observed that such activities are often used as cover for theft. On Sundays, we gather our members to sensitise them.”
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