By Adia Jildo
At least 73 gangsters known as Niggas have been arrested in a range of three days during the Easter festival. Among them are 18 girls. Police were set during the eve of Easter Festival to crack down these gangs (niggas) and apprehend people involved in criminal activities.
Some of these groups were arrested within the three days starting from Friday to Sunday, and they are in custody undergoing investigations. Those with minor cases were released, while those with major cases are going through investigation.
In an interview with No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, Michael Ladu Allah-Jabu said it seemed to be a forceful recruitment of young people into the groups by gang members.
“They are forcing other children in the area to join them. If you don’t want to join them, then they will chop you. They are pretending to be pupils but they are doing criminal acts and they are recruiting some of their age mates by force in order to join them,” the Mayor said.
Michael warned of peer gathering of more than three age mates, saying that it will be taken as a serious issue, and the group members will be arrested.
He stressed that the authority was ready to apprehend anyone who is found making or practicing nigga–like behavior or in any unlawful clique.
Allah-Jabu said that most gang groups have supporters to support their activities in the city, citing that membership fees are being paid for, as soon as you exit from the group.
“Most gang members who were arrested have been apprehended in Lologo 1 and 2, where they laughed, they attack. We promise continuity to trace and bring gang members to book in a legal way” he added.
He called on the locals to corporate with the authority to report any activities or happenings of such groups, saying the authorities are not going to let these practices to continue.
Meanwhile, a civil society activist commended the step taken by the city Mayor, though he blamed the government for not investing in the youth.
The Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani called on the government to invest in the youth through sports and vocational trainings to keep them busy and stop such activities of niggas.
“Some of the youths are redundant and idle because their families are not able get any opportunity for livelihood, hence joining the bad groups,” Yakani said.
However, Yakani said that the juveniles could be taken for recreation centers to nurture them so as to become beneficial to the community.
“Juba city could invest in the youth. The solution is for us to see a way to make them turn away from their gang activities,” he added.
He called on the authority to stationed police forces in areas with high level of gang crimes to prevent their acts than waiting for their action and arrest them.