CRIME: Oche Talks Tough as 5 Igumale Juvenile Offenders Undergo Reorientation, Rehabilitation

Ado Local Government Chairman, James Oche has assured that he would not renege on his war against crime. He has also cautioned parents to take more interest in the doings of their children or be ready to face the repercussion should they engage in crime.

Oche gave these words after the police parade of 5 young suspects charged with cultism and rape. The suspects who had, for 3 consecutive days been monitored at the Igumale rail station at midnight by members of the Homeland Defence and the vigilante confessed to be engaged in some initiation rites of their new members.

The group of five made of up two boys and three girls who range between 13 and 16 years were days ago paraded at the Igumale Divisional Police Headquarters. Among were James Ikor, Anthony Unogwu, Blessing Ochai, Mary Ogenyi and Maria Attah while two other members Oduma Ogenyi known as Kansan Black and Otokpa Ogenyi known as Witches Father are at large.

Explaining further, the Igumale Divisional Police Officer, DSP Bulama Usman said, they also confessed that, about three or four boys would forcefully take turns on each of the girls during the initiation process. Investigation revealed they have been moved to Makurdi and handed over to the Anti Cultism Unit and are now in an asylum for rehabilitation and reorientation that will last for six months.

Reacting to the development, the Ado LG Child Protection Chairperson, Mrs Onoja Greatgrace said she was overwhelmed by the development which was first of its kind since the creation of her office and expressed gratitude to James Oche for doing the unthinkable and taking conscious steps to substantially check the alarming involvement of underaged persons in crime in Ado.

Oche, speaking further on the development reemphasized that, his administration has zero tolerance for crime and whoever was involved in criminality would face the consequences and said under his watch, Ado would be properly sanitized of criminal elements.

It is on record that, before James Oche emerged Chairman, Ado played host to a lot of criminality ranging from kidnapping, banditry, armed and unarmed robbery, cultism e.t.c but since becoming chairman, he has continued to decimate crime in the area in a commendable way.