Ogbueshi Cassiday Iloba is an indigene of Asaba, the Delta State capital and the Managing Director, Casloba Group of Companies. He was the Chairman, Asaba Community Policing and Senior Special Assistant on Security Matters to the immediate past Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
In this Weekend Encounter, he spoke extensively on his involvement in the sustainance of the peace and security of Asaba, the security situation in Asaba and its environs and Delta State in general. He also spoke on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s ban on “Okada” in parts of the state, the ban on scavengers, and many more. In the end, he commended Gov Oborevwori for the bold decision, describing him as a hardworking and visionary governor that should be supported by all Deltans of goodwill. EXCERPTS
You were once involved in the security of Asaba, the Delta State Capital. What was your experience like?
By the grace of God, I was the Chairman, Asaba Community Policing. The opportunity was given to me by the late Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Prof. Chike Edozien, with the mandate to ensure that Asaba was safe and secure. I was also appointed by the former State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Security Matters. In that capacity, I did my best to ensure kidnappings and Fulani harassment, killings/kidnapping were reduced to a great extent. As a matter of fact, I brought their activities to almost a standstill and this, I did for the eight years that Dr. Okowa was Governor of the state.
From my experience during the eight years, I discovered that, when you talk of Fulani herdsmen activities as it relates to kidnapping and harassment of our people in the farm and on the road, the middlemen were the greatest challenge I had.
I discovered that when the herdsmen kidnap people, this middleman, who live among us in Asaba, and other parts of the State feed security agencies with wrong information with the intention to collect ransom, while some indigenes collude with the criminal Fulani herdsmen to commit the crime.
With my experience and collaboration with security agencies, I was able to put a stop to it, and this, to a very great extent helped to reduce the incidence of kidnappings in Asaba and its environs.
And what’s your view about the security situation in Asaba, its environs and Delta State generally, a year or more after you left as SSA on Security to former Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa?
No country or society is hundred percent crime-free, and Asaba or Delta State are no exception. To that extent, therefore, there are still pockets of crime and criminal elements in the state. But, compared to what in obtainable in some other states in the country, Delta State is relatively saffer in terms of security.
I recall that, I alerted and the then Gov Okowa’s administration on the dangerous activities and operations of commercial motorcycle riders, popularity called “Okada” riders. I did warn that, a good number of them were criminals, masquerading as “Okada” riders. I also warned that many tricycle riders, popularly called “Keke riders” were also criminals, pretending to be “Keke riders”, and that, government should do something to check their criminal activities.
A few weeks ago, the Gov Oborevwori administration banned the operations of “Okada riders” in Asaba and some other parts of Delta State. Did you foresee that decision, and what’s your take on it?
The Gov Oborevwori administration’s ban on “Okada riders’ in Asaba and some other parts of Delta State was long overdue, therefore, it’s a welcome development. I commend the Governor for the bold step. The decision would help to reduce the rate of crime, caused by many of the “Okada riders” in the state.
Recall that, I had raised the alarm over the criminal activities of “Okada riders” during the regime of former Gov Ifeanyi Okowa, and advised that government needed to do something in order to put them in check. I’m glad that Gov Sheriff Oborevwori has taken a bold step to do something about it.
But my recommendation is that, the state government should take a step further in this direction by also checking and regulating the activities of the operations of commercial tricycle riders, popularly called “Keke riders,” as recent developments have shown that some of them hide under the umbrella of “Keke riders” to commit terrible crimes like stealing, kidnapping and raping of innocent women in the state.
The truth of the matter is that, many of those who were “Okada riders” have metamorphosed into “keke riders” and have continued to commit their criminal activities. Secondly, all the “Keke” banned in Enugu, Owerri, Abba, Ihiala have been emptied into Asaba, the Delta State capital.
We are talking about security of life and property, which partly informed government decisions to ban “Okada riders” from operating in some parts of the state.
Unfortunately, many of the Chairmen of the “Keke Association in the state are not checkmating the activities of the riders and what they are mostly concerned about is the collection of levies from the riders. I, therefore, recommend that, as a matter of urgency, the state government should checkmate and regulate the operations of “keke riders” in the state, with a view to reducing the crime rate, traceable to them. The chairmen of the Association should be held responsible for any crime committed by its member.
As a one-time Chairman of Asaba Community Policing and SSA to former Gov Okowa on Security Matters, what’s your view about the security situation in Asaba then, and now? What specific role did you play to curtail it?
You will agree with me that, back then, as a young state capital, the rate of socio-economic activities welled up, and this naturally attracted more persons (good and bad, criminals inclusive) to Asaba. And because of its nearness to Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of Anambra State, the influx of persons and business activities was unprecedented. As expected, crime rate also went up.
Time was, when Abraka Market, located on your way to Onitsha from the Asaba end was notorious and used as a base for criminals, prostitutes and all that. We had some suspected Fulani’s from neighbouring Anambra State and others even from Delta, who used the market, not only as a hideout but for kidnapping, rituals and all sorts of crime you can imagine.
Together with security men, I raided the market, demolished the shanties used as hideouts by the criminals, and dislodged all of them. What happened next was, these criminals relocated to the River Niger Bridge Head, where we had dangerous criminals, kidnappers and ritualists.
They had flying boats and cars with which they used to carry out their criminal activities.
Together with security men, I mobilized, went to the Bridge Head and dislodged them. I personally handled the dislodgement and demolition of their hideouts, and that gave Asaba and its environs the peace it deserved.
It will interest you to know that, with my close relationship with traditional rulers in Delta State, and working with security agencies. I was able to frustrate the efforts of kidnappers and other criminals in Ughelli, Agbor, Abraka, Agadagba, Oko, Illah and many other communities. I personally made sure that I frustrated the activities of Fulani herdsmen and stopped them from killing and raping our women in the farms. I brought them out from the forest and made their leaders in every Fulani camp to sign an agreement, making them to take responsibility for any crime committed by their members. In addition to this, I made them informants to the Police.
The Delta State Government also took a decision to ban scavengers, locally called “Iron condemn.” What’s your take on this?
Thank you very much. Government’s decision to ban scavengers in the state is another laudable one, and I commend Gov Sheriff Oborevwori for the bold step. To put it straight, these scavengers are the real burglars in the state, hiding under the umbrella of scavengers to commit crime. They burgle homes when people have gone to work or Church and sometimes they rob innocent and unsuspecting individuals. At the end, they move the stolen goods to the North, where they have ready market and buyers.
I once warned that scavengers should be banned when I met with local Council Chairmen because, they are criminals who have no residential address.
Considering your vast experience on security matters, what advice would you want to give to Gov Sheriff Oborevwori on the security of Delta State?
Security is the responsibility of everybody in a society, but there are people who are experts on security matters, and no responsible government can afford to ignore the professional advice of such persons. In this regard, I’m happy that Gov Sheriff Oborevwori is a listening governor, therefore, I would advice that, in his security architecture, government should work with genuine security informants in communities because, Policemen and other security agents are no magicians; they need genuine information to be able to succeed in their operations.
Former Gov Ifeanyi Okowa adopted this technic in handling security matters and he succeeded. He worked with genuine informants and he succeeded in getting to the root of any crime.
But in doing this, I advise that Gov Oborevwori should avoid crooks who give false information to security agents with the sole aim of making money. They give such false information to security agents and criminals at the same time, and all they care about is the money they make. These are dangerous elements in society; they should be avoided.
I also wish to advice that, the Governor should weigh whatever security information people give to him because, many informants out there are hungry, and all they need is money, therefore, they can trade false information to get money.
In addition to this, Gov Oborevwori should avoid political prostitutes who are story tellers and bootlickers, when it comes to security matters.
