•Police Commissioner intervenes

By ARUGA JOE OMOKARO, Lagos, and MONDAY OCHUKO, Warri

Apprehension of possible breakdown of law and order by youths believed to be yahoo boys, pervaded atmosphere of Warri city, and its environs on Wednesday

It was learnt that the youths had threatened to block all roads leading to Warri from Benin, Abraka and from Ughelli in continuation of their protests on Tuesday.

Their grouse is against what they described as indiscriminate arrest of youths driving flashy cars, by operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

On Tuesday, there was a bloody clash between the youths and EFCC officials in Warri and in Ughelli, leaving one person dead, several others wounded and over 10 fuel trucks burnt. Business activities were halted until the police promptly intervened, bringing normalcy to Warri and Ughelli.

We reported on Tuesday that, one youth lost his life last week when the operatives stormed Otokutu suburb of Warri to arrest some youth and a clash ensued.

The death of the youth was said to have ignited the violence on Tuesday, when the EFCC stormed a town near Osubi airport, near Warri, where some youths were arrested. .

There were serious violence and burn fires on major Warri streets forcing shops and markets to close

We reliably learnt that, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Mohammed Ari, was exempted from Wednesday council meeting in Government House, Asaba, to personally move to Warri and Ughelli to douse tension and ensure peace prevails.

Investigations revealed that the youths are threatening to continue their protest till Saturday October 8, 2022 and are urging youths in Edo State to join in their protests.

They are calling for scraping of EFCC. They are arguing that EFCC should focus their activities on politicians, and government officials who they alleged are looting government treasuries

We learnt that, their grouse is that the EFCC officials are mounting road blocks like the police, stopping every flashy car and screening phones of the occupants.

They argued that many youths are into genuine and legitimate businesses, and not every flashy car is owned by Yahoo boys.

A Managing Director of an oil and gas company, who spoke under anonymity, decried modus operandi of the EFCC officials. He disclosed that, “my manager has a clean car, and he earns big salary. Thank God he didn’t drive out that day, perhaps he would have been mistaken for yahoo boy and arrested.”

“Many young men who are working in oil companies earn big salaries and can afford flashy cars,” he argued.

One other resident in Warri who works in an oil company and pleaded anonymity also decried the activities of the EFCC officials. He disclosed that, “I saw them mounted road blocks like the police stopping and searching flashy cars. Mobile policemen are among them, but they are the ones searching.

“It is wrong to assume that, any young man driving a flashy car is a Yahoo boy. Many are doing legitimate works, some young boys are from rich family background, some are children of top politicians and too military officers.”

Spokesman of EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, failed to pick our calls or to respond to text message sent him on the issue. (Courtesy The SUPREME)

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