Crime Prevention project (CPP) in conjunction with Economic Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) in partner with UK Government, TAG Int’l CLEEN Foundation presents A day Sensitization with hotel owners, other stakeholders on the effects of cybercrime in Ajegunle on Wednesday, 16th of March 2024 at Ajeromi/ Ifelodun Council hall.

   

The program was tagged; Brighter Future with the topic :Prevent global practice of Eradicating crime.

 

Some dignitaries present were the Oba Alayeluwa Muhamadu Moruf Oyekunle Atanda Amodu Tijani, Olu of Iwa & Apapa  kingdom, the Ajeromi /Ifelodun LCDA chairman, Alh.Sanni Ismailia, EFCC representative, Mr  Femi Olukinni,  Hon, Sherifat  Usman, Princess Tosan from USA, Elder Peters Alaye, Mrs Blessing Abiri, project coordinator for CLEEN Foundation implemented by TAG International with support of UK Government, the Divisional Police Officer Ajegunle, CSP Onofeghara Constantine, the DCO Layeni and other important guests not mentioned.

 

The project Coordinator, Amb.Ojabaro Micheal in his speech emphasised on the purpose of Sensitizatng the youths against cybercrimes drugs abuse.

Ojabaro on his part said
” with the support of TAG International, KLEEN Foundation, backbone of UK Government with USA currently intervening to ensure the project gets to  the other parts of Lagos, Nigeria. The project started in 2021, apart from cybercrime we look for criminals like armed robbers from Tolu, Ojo road. We encouraged and supported those who amend their ways, they learnt different skills through CPP, about 13 of them.

 

“There are crash programmes on cybersecurity, drugs abuse, cyber security education, with the intervention, 9 youths amend their ways also, educating others on effects of cybercrime, and drugs abuse in their various schools. This is the first time EFCC will have meeting with the hoteliers, community leaders and this will build up the relationship between them in order to facilitate the project.

 

Also, with the synergy there wont be any need for EFCC to burst any hotels or pursue any criminal, once the hoteliers do not accomodate criminals. Note that, Ajegunle has built the first set of youths who went for EFCC cybercrime excursion”.

 

Speaking further, “the program is for all, for religious and community leaders, so that Ajegunle would be free of crime then, at the end of the process we can network and seek enhanced security and promote peace in the community. I must commend the DPO Ajeromi, CSP Onofeghara Constantine for his proactivenes and responsiveness, he is also ready to combat crime in Ajeromi/Ifelodun environs, even within the space of 3 three weeks of his deployment people are commending his efforts.

The DPO of Ajeromi, CSP Onofeghara Constantine, while giving his speech said
” The Police, DSS, EFCC are always there to safeguard the community and the country. All what we needed from the community is cooperation as we synergise to protect our country.  We can also correct anybody who overstepped their boundaries and we are working together relentlessly towards achieving the same goals. Some these youths when you see them they dont look normal at all, especially when they are high on drugs and later might not be fit into society.”

Further speaking,”The cybercrime fraudster will end in jeopardy, madness. I know a guy who got his money from cybercrime fraud he built some houses and bought cars, when the repercussion came the daughter of the family died mysteriously, his mother was struck with a strange sickness and the guy himself gone berserk. It is good to learn  lessons from this incident. Let us tell these youths of today that, it goes beyond being sentenced to prison alone. Some youths begin from cybercrime fraudster to taking of hard drugs to madness. Amb. Michael  Ojabaro thanks for the great project”.

In an interview with the Oba, Alayeluwa, Muhammadu Atanda Moruf Oyekunle  Tijani, the Olu of Iwa & Apapa kingdom said. ” Honestly, i really thanked the organisers of this project of what they have done here today is what I have been praying and expecting. I pray that all the negativity in Ajeromi/ Ifelodun will come to an end and will change into positivity. Ajeromi is  very vast, even some people from west coast are residing here, it is a mini Nigeria, that is why the crime rate here is high. But ever since my enthronement on the 27th of may 2023, but now, it’s a thing of the past, I can tell you categorically that there were street gangs, organised crimes on daily basis before my coronation as the king, but situation has changed, as you can see now there is relatively peace in the area . You see, I pray alot, i consulted the gods of the land and religious people to Intervene in the matter.

 

Speaking further, Oba Moruf Atanda said, “the Sensitisation is to encourage the younger generation on the effects of crimes, when you commit crimes there is every possibilities that you would be imprisoned. So, my advice is that, use your positive time to create positive things for yourselves. All these  bad boys on the road can stll change their lives for better if they want. Even one of the boys is handing the photography is a product of the project.”

“A lot  of them came to my palace and told me their experiences that they have turn a new leaf, am so proud of them. I assure you that in the next one year all crimes will be vanished in Ajeromi/ Ifelodun community.”

“My advice to the organisers is to carry on the activities, though, it is expensive to run, there might be financial constraints, time consuming, but with time the International community would look into their case and adequate  sponsors will emerge to assist the project. My special thanks goes to the new DPO Ajeromi, CSP Onofeghara Constantine for crime-busting initiative,  which has brought down the crime rate in the community.

Mrs Blessing Abiri, Lagos project coordinator for CLEEN Foundation, in an interview with the journalis also said

” The program is supported by CLEEN Foundation implemented by TAG International with support of UK, this program is to divert youths from serious organised crimes, as bercrime fraudsters, cultism Armed robbery and drugs abuse to see how to give them positive  alternatives while building resilience on the community not encouraging these types of crimes activities.

“5The project began in 2021 and we are piloting 3 LGA’s, Ajeromi/ Ifelodun for cybercrime, Ifako Ijaye & Ikorodu for cultism. There is a linkage between drugs abuse, cultism and cybercrime. As told by the community, drugs issue in Ajeromi/ Ifelodun is a serious crime and problem across the globe. We want to deliver the program across the three Local Government Areas .The essence of scaling up Lagos state is that we’re plotting to see how the programs could be delivered across the  3LGA’s. While we have community stakeholders in Lagos in partnership with the local government called Crime Prevention Partners, (CPP) which involve the combination of different crime security issues.

     

“We have the State level which is the crime Prevention group to oversee the program that would be the voice to encourage and scale up the program because you want them to divert to what? there must be alternatives to engage them, while also breaking the recruitment chains of the organised crimes. Ofcourse, the community will identify them, though it has not been easy, there is always a trust issue. We are not looking for number but specific people who ate willing to change  without forcing them. It is individualistic, that is the uniqueness of the project.”

Speaking further, ” We have worked with various religious leaders and trusted persons who identify these youths. We were able to do about 5 intervention cycles. We are not looking for numbers but we want to make a long term impact for those who wanted to change. So the third/ fourth cycles are on going we are winding down 2nd year of the programs. We are working with some stakeholders to sustain the project, if we are able to get more stakeholders to support we can do more numbers. The program is an integrated program you first have to change their mindsets.

“We prioritise and equip them with positive lifestyles mentoring them the right part to follow, empower them and complimentary them with legitimate vocational skills. So that the person will move on with legitimate business not prone to illegitimate activities. Sure, the beauty of the project is to spread across other states like Bayelsa, Edo, Zamfara but, right now the focus is still Lagos State”.

“Sustainability is having a lifespan, the discussion at the state/local level is how do we sustain them and scale up?. We must discussion with the hoteliers because the accommodation different kinds of people, they must be enlightened and at the tropical issues of the problems.