S-East residents rise against scavengers, say many of them are criminals

•Anambra govt bans them; Imo lawmakers urge Gov Uzodinma to restrict, regulate their activities 

•They spy, release vital security information to kidnappers, hoodlums 

•Neighbourhoods in Enugu restrict access into their areas 

•Don’t ban them, license them and make them taxpayers

By Anayo Okoli, Vincent Ujumadu, Chidi Nkwopara, Steve Oko, Ugochuckwu Alaribe, Chinonso Alozie & Chimaobi Nwaiwu

Activities of scavengers (aka scraps dealers/condemn iron) have become very worrisome to the residents of the South East region. The havoc they wreak on private and public infrastructures is very sad and highly condemnable. They have turned scavenging to vandalism and stealing. Some of them invade construction sites to steal rods and construction materials in the name of looking for scraps. Many of them are simply criminals. They are even accused of working as informants to kidnappers. Worried by their criminal activities,Anambra State has banned their activities and the Imo State Government has called for action against them.

Anambra bans its operations

Their nefarious activities in most cities in Anambra State were the reasons the Government banned their operation. Despite their frequent arrests by community vigilante operatives, they have continued to vandalize people’s properties in search of iron rods and other metals to cart away. Many residents of the state have had terrible stories to tell about the iron scavengers.

In Amawbia, recently, some of them were apprehended while disposing of electrical materials and window panels worth millions of naira which they stole from newly completed buildings. One of the owners of the affected buildings, Chief Obinna Nwofor narrated how his two-storey building was vandalized barely two days after the wiring was completed.

He said: “These scavengers, many of them from the northern parts of the country, have made many people shed tears. I spent over four million naira to complete the wiring of my house which I was targeting that tenants would move into before the end of the year, only for these people who push carts about and always shout iron condemn, invade the compound by destroying the wire gauze, scaled the fence and removed all the wires.

“When one of them was caught, it was discovered that they had melted all the wires and were selling them at their quarters to waiting trailer drivers who were seen loading them for transportation to towns outside the state.

“When the culprit was asked how much he sold the wires, he said he made N30,000. I was very annoyed, but there was nothing I could do. The police advised me to take them to court, but I decided otherwise because I knew I wouldn’t gain anything for doing that”.

Another resident of Awka, Mr. Cosmas Okafor also narrated how scavengers climbed the roof of his newly completed house and removed the thunder protector which cost him so much to install. He said that they also cleverly removed the glass windows took the panels, and destroyed the glasses.

These scavengers move from street to street and once they suspect that the occupants are away, they find their way in and collect every metal they could lay their hands on.

Following complaints and outcries by the people, the Anambra State Government said they should no longer be allowed to continue the evil act of stealing private and public metal objects from people’s houses, hence the ban.

A government statement said: “Their mission is ostensibly to buy condemned iron or disused metal objects from households, workshops/business premises or anybody who can freely offer them scrap metals. However, what used to be simple and hassle-free transactions with itinerant seemingly harmless cart pushers have become pests to society.

“The nuisance value of the ubiquitous scavengers can no longer be tolerated for they now constitute a pain in the neck of the society as their activities are adversely affecting the economy of the state and the country at large.

“They steal the metal coverings of gutters, the iron medians on the highways, and the steel railings on the sides of the motorways.

“They have become so brazen in dismantling and wrecking public utilities that you begin to wonder if they have special licenses to do what they are doing because they dare where nobody with a conscience will risk.

“Shortly after the celebrated second Niger Bridge was commissioned, the side-bars, beams, and the heavy steel sheets interlocking segments of the bridge were yanked off by these devil-may-care scavengers.

“Even the poles bearing the solar streetlights in Anambra State have been randomly and willfully vandalized by these scavengers for illicit profit.

“Individual’s generators and vehicle body parts are not spared. A story was told about how a family returned from the village after an end-of-year vacation to discover that their beautiful wrought iron gate had been neatly dismantled and removed.”

Imo House of Assembly wants their operations restricted and regulated

In Imo State, the State House of Assembly has urged Governor Hope Uzodimma to “restrict and regulate the activities of scrap metal scavengers in the state”.

This followed a resolution of the house from a motion by a member of the house, Dr. Obinna Egu. Egu said: “This is a motion to urge the Imo State Government, through the Ministry of Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs and Other Security Related Agencies, to checkmate the ugly activities of scrap metal scavengers in the state.

“This has become necessary, if our collective desire to effectively secure our environment and curb insecurity must be realized.

“Faced with the realities of the time, we must restrict and regulate the activities of persons who indulge in scrap metal scavenging. These fellows indulge in illegal activities such as theft, vandalism of major components of electricity transformers, spying, and releasing of vital security information to kidnappers and hoodlums.

“This has caused serious security breaches in the rural and urban areas of the state. What ordinarily should have been a legitimate business in recycling materials from waste to wealth has, regrettably, become a huge source of security threat in Imo State. I have heard stories, and it has become regular, of how these scavengers jump into people’s compounds, making away with their properties, such as generators, car batteries, clothes, television sets, and just anything in sight.

“They have become criminal elements but chose to hide under the cover of scrap iron scavengers, to carry out their criminal acts. They are everywhere in the state.

“Now that Nigeria is seriously facing security threats, there is therefore the urgent need to know who these people are. We need to curtail their activities”.

“Be it resolved by this honourable house to urge Imo State Government, through the Ministry of Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs and Other Security Related Agencies, to checkmate the ugly activities of scrap metal scavengers In Imo State, to guarantee a more peaceful environment within the state”, the speaker Hon. Chike Olemgbe declared after the adoption of the motion and directed the Clerk to communicate the resolution to the Governor.

In Enugu, some neighbourhoods in Enugu metropolis no longer allow them access to their areas because of their nefarious activities. Disturbed by their criminal activities, the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has urged Governor Peter Mbah to establish a task force that will checkmate the negative activities of the scavengers.

This was contained in a communiqué issued last week by the Council at the end of its monthly Congress presided by the Chairman, Comrade Sam Udekwe.

It noted that there was a need to checkmate the negative activities/operations of scavengers because of the nuisance they constitute in Enugu metropolis especially, stealing people’s valuables in the name of scavenging.

They are criminals in disguise, and should be banned —Abia residents

A cross-section of the residents of the state who spoke to SEV said past administrations in the state made efforts to check the activities of the scavengers but did not succeed. They stated that the scavengers now loot public infrastructure like boreholes, rail lines, culverts, and iron materials used in fixing bridges and manholes.

Residents of Umuahia, the Abia State capital, have also decried their activities and called for their ban. Some of the residents who spoke with SEV accused the scavengers of stealing peoples’ valuables and vandalizing public properties when not closely monitored.

One of the residents, Chimdi Ikpeama, shared his recent experience with them and advised members of the public to be aware of them.

He said the scavengers entered into his compound on Uwalaka Street and stole four shock absorbers he just removed from his car.

“I returned from the mechanic workshop where I had gone to change my car’s shock absorbers. I kept four of them in a bag right inside our compound that has double gates.

“How and when these guys entered and carted them away, are still a shock to me. As if that was not enough, they came and stole the shovel we used during the cleanup of the compound.

“Just last week I was outside the compound about boarding a vehicle when somebody suddenly emerged from the compound with two bags containing spoiled gas cookers stainless kettles and some aluminum products. I accosted him and brought him back to the compound to show me who authorized him to collect them. He suddenly began to stammer, claiming he was going to throw them away for the owners not knowing that I live in the compound.

“As I raised my voice, he knelt and began to beg for pardon, claiming that his wife had just given birth. After pleading, I decided to let him go but with a threat to hand him over to the police if he tried it next time.

“So, my take is that these guys are criminals in disguise. They only pretend to be buying scraps but the truth remains that in a twinkle of an eye, they turn into wolves when nobody monitors them”.

Another resident, Anthony Uwakwe, said scavengers should not be allowed to be roaming the streets. He said that they are responsible for some thefts and vandalism going on in town.

“Many of these people cannot be trusted. There is one housing estate between Umuahia and Bende town which they completely vandalized.

Most of the houses in the estate had been roofed five years ago but nobody was occupying them. But go there now you can’t find a single roof on any building again. They have been completely scrapped by these wolves in sheep’s clothing.

“How can somebody have the mind to remove his fellow man’s roof only to resell it as scrap? Such a fellow must be very wicked and heartless. Government should ban them from operating”.

A resident of Aba, Chinedu Nwokike, said scavengers broke into his compound while he went to work and carted away iron materials, roofing sheets, and nails.

He said: “I am calling on the state government to ban scavengers because the majority of them are criminals who raid people’s homes and cart away iron materials and any property they could lay their hands on. They even steal plantains. Something must be done to check these people before they start using guns to rob people”.

Another resident said the stealing of public infrastructure and breaking into people’s homes got worse since a steel company was established in the Ukwa area of the state.

“In our area in Ogbor Hill, Aba, we have banned scavengers. Anybody seen with a truck in the area will be arrested and handed over to the police. Before we took that action, it was a tale of breaking into homes and building sites to steal iron materials, water tanks, and gates. Therefore, I want the government to ban these scavengers to save our properties”.

Don’t ban them, license them and make them taxpayers

An Onitsha-based legal practitioner, Prince Christopher .O. Muo, admitted to the activities of scavengers but argued that banning them is not the best option. He rather suggested that they be given official licenses to operate, be regulated, and be made to pay taxes.

According to Muo: “The blanket ban on iron and plastic scavengers by some state governments in the Southeast region is another display of the mediocre personalities in their think tank groups.

“It also makes a public display of the total lack of understanding of industrialization and its job-creating capacity among the collective of public office holders in the South East states of Nigeria.

“The legislators cannot draft a legislative bill to regulate the industry, the governors cannot submit a legislative bill to regulate the industry, and manufacturers in the states cannot present a private sector legislative bill for the regulation of the industry because of the level of disconnect between the source of money and the legal system in the South East region of Nigeria.

“The ban should be lifted and a licensing protocol set in place with bio-metric based identity cards issued to them. They become taxpayers; they are taken out of the unemployment market and the criminals who take advantage of them.”