Gardens of relaxation or tension?

Tuesday, 09 March 2010 12:29

The activities of hoodlums in and around parks and gardens in Abuja, raise concern amongst residents, even as the police say they are capable of providing security cover at such places A visit to the notable Millennium Park in Abuja either in the wee hours of the day or at dusk, will reveal another world of its own. The strong, unmistakable scent of Indian hemp is what easily arrests the attention of anyone who is strong hearted enough to pay a visit to the government owned property at those two periods. It is not also unusual to see groups of young men gathered in pockets around the expansive park, smoking as if the habit was going out of fashion. A regular visitor to the park, Yemi Adepoju says that he does not exceed 7pm at the park on any particular day that he decides to visit. This he claims is as a result of the activities of hoodlums who make use of the cover of darkness to dispossess visitors of their valuables. He adds that many unlucky ones have equally been manhandled by these miscreants, who do not hesitate to deal with anyone who crosses their paths at these odd hours. ‘The fear of these boys is no doubt the beginning of wisdom for anybody that goes to the Millennium Park regularly. They usually wait till the very late hours to attack unsuspecting visitors since security is lax at these hours. Many of the park staff would have left except for a very few guards who are still around at such hours. And don’t forget that the many portions of the wall around the premises have broken down so anyone can easily gain entrance to the park without even making use of the main entrance. These boys smoke openly and harass people when they are in groups. When it is daytime of course they keep a low profile, because obviously they know that they would be dealt with if they try to molest anyone. But at nights they are kings and can easily operate without hindrance. I have seen them harass a man. It was only when the man responded to their demands that they let him go. Others have not been so lucky. That is why people like me leave before the dark hours so as not to fall prey to these violent boys. The Park authorities appear not to be doing anything to curb the menace and this is not good enough,’ confided Adepoju. In most of Abuja’s public gardens and parks today, the activities of hoodlums and other shady characters appears to be transiting to a source of concern to most residents, with not a few of them calling for the strict assurance of security of lives and properties of visitors, who daily throng such places. Not quite a few also have equally appealed to the law enforcement agencies to make concerted efforts in curtailing the unwholesome activities of miscreants who abound in such public places. A few weeks back the FCT police had to put in extra measures to ensure that a fight that broke out amongst miscreants at the Millennium Park did not spread into the city’s center. Many other free for alls have occurred at the park several times with combatants and innocent by standers, sustaining different degrees of injuries. This has made many residents to query the ability of the police to provide adequate security at the numerous parks and gardens that dot the entire city. A few weeks back also, the media was jolted out of its lassitude by the brutal and unprovoked killing of one of its own, Efenji Efenji at the Cortland garden Karu, on the outskirts of the city by yet to be identified assailants. Efenji, a reporter with the Africa Independent Television AIT was suspected to have been severally stabbed to death in the presence of his wife, baby and brother on Valentine’s Day, simply because he rebuffed the amorous overtures made to his wife by some hoodlums, who reacted violently by snuffing out the life of the recently married journalist. Although the police are working on other possible motives for the killing, many say that the issue that needs to be tackled is the general state of security in the city’s gardens and parks. Cortland garden has since been closed down pending the outcome of investigations and the police say that several suspects have been nabbed in relation to the murder. But according to many skeptics if care was not taken the murder may just turn out to be one of the numerous unsolved crimes the harried police have hanging around their necks. In the wake of the brutal murder some gardens around the city appear to have subsequently beefed up security around their establishments. Chimex Ike, the supervisor of Classic Gardens, which is a stone throw from the Cortland Garden noted that the issue of security is a top priority for his establishment. He adds that apart from a 24 hour guard shift that the garden’s authorities put in place to take care of the safety of its clients, it equally occasionally employ the services of mobile policemen who come at irregular hours to monitor the movements of people coming in or going out of the garden. ‘We also have regular interaction with the policemen that patrol the area and the district police officer’s personal phone number and we can easily get in touch with him even at odd hours. He is a friend of the house,’ he proudly says. Director of Jimson Gardens, Jikwoyi, Godwin Osahon believes that the attitude of garden owners in relation to interpersonal relationship with the public ,can go a long way in determining the state of security of such establishment. Displaying numerous knife wound scars to this reporter which he says he got from intervening in numerous fights throughout his career, he says that owners of relaxation spots have to be proactive in their management of their businesses if they want to survive. ‘Many of these violent boys are known by owners of such parks as they reside in the area. A park owner must be able to easily identify such boys, and stop them from visiting their gardens. Owners of parks also need to have a good working relationship with the police, if possible policemen from other posts that are not near the establishment. This is because even the policemen of a particular area after some time become so friendly with these violent boys, and would be unable to effectively deal with them when they cause trouble. But a policeman who is from another area has no such sympathies.’ He adds: ‘apart from employing private guards, you can also have undercover security personnel who go around monitoring activities in the park and reporting to you directly if they sense any trouble. Every garden or park owner must take the security of his clients seriously, if he wants to remain in business.’ Gloria Clement, supervisor of Jabi Park and Gardens also concurs. ‘Security is paramount in gardens as the customer is the soul of every business. Apart from a 24 hour private security guard in place, we equally make use of the regular police patrol team who visit us. We have the DPO’s numbers and we also do our own in house screening, before allowing people to enter the premises. For instance, your manner of dressing or demeanor at times will determine if you are allowed into the garden in the first place. Of course we train our staff especially the security to respond to any security threat quickly and as professional as possible,’ she enthuses. At the 2-4-7 Garden and Ibiza garden, area 11, Garki, the presence of bouncers was noticed at the entrance. These heavily built men were seen briskly frisking and studying customers as they walked in. A customer who was turned back bristled with anger as he retorted at one of the guards: ‘is it because I am wearing slippers that you will not allow me in. Am I not coming to spend my money like other people you are letting in?’ Findings reveal that for gardens especially Ibiza, the mode of dressing of customers determines if they are allowed in or not. Interestingly, further investigations reveal that patronage at the various parks and gardens visited has not in any way dropped. The supervisors spoken with say the number of customers that visit them on daily basis has not in any way diminished. ‘People have a way of getting over calamities like that. That is one of characteristics of Nigerians,’ one of them opines. A source at the federal capital development agency, FCDA who does not want his name in print, says that the modality for owning a garden in the FCT is so simplistic that this may account for why such establishments are springing up regularly with no provision for security. He says that, ‘owning a park or garden is not as difficult as people say, once you have the money and land, securing a license to run your business is not difficult. Even getting an alcohol permit is equally easy, so you find out that many people are now going into the business. I think the city authorities should partner with the police to ensure that provision of adequate security is one of the priorities of ownership of parks.’ FCT police spokesperson, SP Moshood Jimoh however believes that despite the recent tragic incident at Karu, the police can still live up to its constitutional responsibilities of providing security for residents. He says that in the aftermath of the gruesome murder of the journalist, security has been beefed up in the area, and the police command is working hard at providing more patrol teams to checkmate the activities of hoodlums in and around the FCT. ‘The police are still carrying out investigations on the matter, even as suspects arrested are helping us with investigations. Meanwhile residents should remain calm, as the police will continue to provide the necessary security for the safety of lives and property,’ he enthuses.