Motor Park Merger Reduces Drug Trafficking, Crime in Gombe — Council Chairman

From Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe

The Chairman of Gombe Local Government Area, Barrister Sani Ahmad Haruna, says the merger of motor parks into a single central terminal has helped reduce drug trafficking and other crimes in the state.

Haruna, who is also the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Gombe State Chapter, made the disclosure while speaking to journalists in Gombe.

He said reports by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had previously ranked Gombe among the states with high levels of drug-related activities.

However, he stressed that the problem should not be blamed on indigenes of the state.

According to him, the state’s rapid development has attracted people from across the country, some of whom are involved in drug abuse and related crimes.

Haruna noted that security reports from the Gombe Local Government Security Council indicated a decline in crimes such as rape, burglary, and housebreaking between November and December.

“Out of the 11 wards in the local government area, nine recorded reductions in crime, while only two reported an increase,” he said.

On reports suggesting that Gombe accounts for 86.94 per cent of rape cases, the council chairman dismissed the figures as inaccurate and not reflective of the reality on the ground.

He added that the local government had set up a committee comprising traditional rulers and religious leaders, and provided dedicated phone lines for reporting cases.

However, he noted that no reports had been received so far, citing fear and stigma as key reasons.

Haruna urged residents to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious activities, emphasizing that community involvement remains crucial to sustaining peace and security in Gombe State.