The Return of Adamawa’s Shila Boys Worrisome

The return of the criminal group code-named Shila boys is worrisome, given that their victims are left without help. Shila boys are youths of between 15 to 25 years who engage in street robbery and have been terrorising the residents of Yola, the Adamawa state capital for years. 

The bad boys who specialized in snatching of items such as phones, computers, handbags, purses, money among others, usually disguise as commercial tricycle operators within the city.

The gang started their dastardly acts during the administration of a former governor, Muhammad Umar Jibrilla Bindow.  Their activities rose to its peak towards the 2019 general elections. The criminals continued even after the inauguration of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in May, last year.

One recalls that the governor while speaking shortly after being sworn in, promised that under his watch, the security of lives and property of the citizens will top the priority of his administration.

He also gave the Shila boys two weeks to repent or government will take proactive measures against them.

Thus, a couple of months after, the Shila boys suspended their vicious operations and embraced peace. Consequently, Yola enjoyed some peace and recorded zero cases of Shila boys’ attack. However, even at that time, there were cases of kidnapping particularly in Yola North, Yola South, and Girei Local Government Areas.

It is regrettable to note that since the impeachment of Governor Murtala H. Nyako in 2014, Adamawa State government has never officially employed its citizens in large numbers.

Even though an attempt was made towards the end of the tenure of the former governor, Muhammad Umar Jibrilla Bindow, it was marred by favouritism and godfatherism by the officials.

Recently, the committee set up by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri on the issue reported that a lot of irregularities took place. The committee observed that employment at that period did not follow due process and advice that the employed staff should seek fresh employment.

Apart from the sacking of staff and scarcity of direct employment from the state government, youths in the state became incapacitated following the shutdown of numerous skill acquisition centres established by the then governor, Murtala H. Nyako.

Farming Skills Acquisition Centres (FSAC) in the rural areas where many farmers were trained on necessary skills to improve their yield and its quality were shut down. Youth empowerment programme, known as Local Apprenticeship Scheme (LAS) which was training youths on 21 marketable trades was cancelled.

Vocational Skills Training Centres and Technical Training Centres manned by German consultants have also been abandoned.

On the other hand, my dear state lacks industries and companies that will absorb the millions of its unoccupied youths. Even the few companies in the state have reportedly sacked their staff.

For instance, Gotel Communications limited and the American University of Nigeria which are both owned by the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, have from 2018 to date dismissed over 500 staff.

As these impediments continued to threaten the future of youths and the peace of the state in general.

The government should note that greater attention on youths’ empowerment programmes is what is needed at this time. Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi it was who once said: “We need to give importance to skill development because this way we can end unemployment.

” According to Austrian-British economist, F.A. Hayek “Unemployment or the loss of income which will always affect some in any society is certainly less degrading if it is the result of misfortune and not deliberately imposed by authority”.

To American activist Jane Addams, “Of all the aspects of social misery nothing is so heartbreaking as unemployment.”

• Bilyaminu Gambo Kong-kol wrote from Bayero University, Kano.