Insecurity: Over 14,500 died in 4yrs – ECOWAS

…IGP bans use of spy number plates

…Orders confiscation of offenders’ vehicles

NOT less than 14,500 people have been killed by terrorists in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region region in the last four and half years.

  Outgoing President of ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, made the revelation before handing over to the incoming President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, in Abuja, yesterday.

  According to Brou, not only were the figures recorded in four and half years but the number of refugees within the region seeking humanitarian assistance was above 5,500,000.

  “First of all, the deterioration of the security situation has caused havoc, not only in the Sahel area, affecting Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and the North East of Nigeria, but it soon expanded to the coastal zone, hitting Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo. Terrorist attacks and herds of bandits plunged these countries into mourning, with close to 14,500 dead in 4 ½ years, threatening the peace of rural population, and forcing people to seek shelter away from their home areas. Thus, the number of refugees and internally displaced people in our region reached about 5,500,000 persons who are in need of humanitarian assistance,” he said.

  In another development, Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered a ban on the use of SPY Vehicle Number Plates nationwide.

  A statement issued yesterday by Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi,  said the order will operate irrespective of whether any user was earlier authorised or not, adding that the ban is part of efforts by Police to track rising insecurity across the country.

  According to him, all approvals have been revoked indefinitely.

  The statement further directed Commissioners of Police in States and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police to swing into action immediately.

  It will be recalled that there reports of continuous disregard for traffic rules, regulations and other extant laws guiding road use by individuals’ SPY plates.