Residents Urge Action Against Street Urchins, Destitute, Others At Ekiti Popular Slum

Ekiti State government continued  efforts at transforming Atikankan area and the surrounding streets is a welcome development, but some activities in the community have become a source of concerns to the  residents of  Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Atukankan is an agelong slum and a notorious spot  in the heart of the capital city.

It is a place, where traders do their business  and also serves as safe haven for street urchins, beggers, fraudster, destitute, Indian hemp smokers, sellers, peddlers of hard drugs, illicit substances and brothels operations despite the ongoing clean-up initiative and Urban Renewal Policy of the government in the area.

Its slums and shanties status was fast spreading to its the adjoining areas of  Irona, Oke Bola, Oke Oniyo, Igbehin and Ijoka with the  criminals using  the areas for illicit acts.

Criminal activities in the area came to fore again over a week ago, when a man, identified as Ojo Deji was stabbed to death during a fight between two groups of hoodlums over money given out as alms to destitutein the area.

Last year, the Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led administration  decided to acquire the area, previously swampy, which is very  unfit for human habitation, and constitute a source of security concerns to the people to  turn it into a  Central Business District.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP in Ado-Ekiti on the action taken, the commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said the state government’s objective is to revamp the Central Business District and address the l challenges affecting the area.

A resident of Ado-Ekiti, Mr Oluwole Alade, lamented that the criminal activities in the area has taken the shine off the move by the  government  to transform  the area into a modern business hub.

He said,  “Even with the government acquiring the largest part of Atukankan, it is still an abode for criminals and people of shady character, all manner of nefarious activities  being perpetrated in the area noted for criminality, filthiness with street urchins and others  brazenly peddled Indian hemp and other illicit drugs in the open. They snatched people’s bags, pick their pockets and harassed passersby.”.

Another resident of the town, Yemisi Adesola, said Atukankan is a notorious spot, which to many has become a dangerous path to read.

Adesola said, “The government and the security agents need to up their game to tackle criminal activities in the area now that the government is trying to make the place a business district.

“If  those human activities  constituting  security threat to life and property of the people around the place, the business district might not be safe for the prospective business owners at the district. ”

The commissioner noted that policemen and other security agents are always stationed in the central part of the area to maintain law and order.

“Besides, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) always comb the area in search of those engaging in the peddling and smoking of Indian hemp and other illicit drugs, while police and NSCDC posts have been erected  at the business district area. Also, there may be consideration for the evacuation of the destitutes,” he added.