A Lagos-based lawyer and rights activist, Mr Chibuikem Opara, has called on the Lagos State Government to rid pedestrian bridges in the state of hoodlums to make them safer for passers-by.
Opara said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.
He said that the presence of hoodlums had forced pedestrians to cross the highways without using the bridges.
“Hoodlums occupying the pedestrian bridges is a strong indication that government should put more efforts in the area of security.
“I agree that it will be almost impossible to have a complete crimeless society. However, a responsive government can reduce crime to the barest minimum,” Opara said.
According to him, some people are hoodlums because they are jobless and are unable to find any meaningful job to do.
He added that others, however, found it attractive because it appeared to them as lucrative.
“If government is willing to create conducive environment for people to be gainfully employed, most of the hoodlums will be gainfully employed and will not have any need to engage in crime or hang around pedestrian bridges, scaring passersby.
“However, the remedy is not to post policemen to all the pedestrian bridges as that will amount to treating the symptoms.
“The remedy is to make crime less attractive, which a responsive government should do.
“Our pedestrian bridges should be safe for everyone to use, whether night or day,” he said.
He, therefore, advised government to put more efforts into engaging unemployed youths with meaningful employment.
According to him, it is unfortunate that some of these hoodlums are being recruited and empowered by some politicians to fight perceived enemies.
The government, he said, should do more to discourage such acts, as practised by some politicians. (NAN)
