Lagos, July 14, 2015 (NAN)A Lagos lawmaker, Mr Segun Olulade (APC-Epe II) on Tuesday urged residents of riverine areas and waterfront communities to support the government in the fight against bunkering and other criminal activities.
Olulade, in a statement in Lagos, said that the activities of those involved in illegal bunkering and criminals should be reported to security agents in the state without fear.
According to him, activities of hoodlums using waterways constitute menace to the security of residents in the riverine areas and communities located on the river bank particularly Epe, Badagry, Ijede-Ikorodu, Ojo, Apapa among others.
“Criminal activities ranging from bunkering, kidnapping and robbery through waterways are posing danger to the lives of people in the communities.
“Residents should wake up to support government in its efforts to eradicate such criminal activities, let them provide information that can help government nab perpetrators.
“Except the dwellers of the areas help government with viable information, the criminal activities might not be curbed easily,’’ he said.
The lawmaker decried a situation where residents harbour those involved in illegal bunkering for paltry sums.
“The people in the community know who bunkerers are because it is their community. Residents should put aside whatever benefit bunkerers offer to lure them into keeping silent because that does not help them in the long run
“ Bunkering is illegal and criminal; they should inform government and save their communities from criminals,’’ Olulade said.
He urged residents to also be wary of suspicious movements around their communities.
Olulade said that waterway crimes could be reduced if government received the right cooperation from the people.
The lawmaker said that the rate at which criminals use waterways was on the increase and endangered innocent lives.
“The waterfronts are laden with immense opportunities for investment in tourism, aqua-businesses and other development projects.
“With the commitment and determination of the present government, economic potentials of the riverine communities are just on the way.
“People should help make the dream of ideal aquatic communities possible by supporting government to eradicate activities capable of subverting economic potentials of our aqua communities,’’ he said.
Olulade called on investors to take advantage of tremendous opportunities abiding with Lagos waterfronts and invest for prosperous economic benefits that would serve the government and investors. (NAN)