The Gombe State Government has announced an immediate and indefinite ban on the scrap metal trade, locally known as “Bola Jari”, to curb vandalism and theft of public assets.
The decision was finalized during an expanded State Security Council meeting on Monday, January 5, where the business was linked to the rise in criminal activity and the destruction of public property in the state.
The Attorney-General of the state, Barrister Zubair Muhammad Umar, stated that the ban is targeted towards mitigating the fast rising trend of persistent stripping of materials from schools and other government buildings.
The council expressed serious concern over the persistent vandalisation of school infrastructures and other public assets which often found their way into the hands of scrap metal dealers – Barrister Zubair Muhammad Umar, Gombe State Attorney-General
The Gombe State Government has also introduced an oversight on internal migration, which now requires formal profiling of all migrants, new residents and tenants in order to protect the state from non-states intruders.
The “Bola Jari” industry has long been a source of income for thousands of young men in northern Nigeria. However, it has been criticised by many residents as a platform for the easy market of stolen copper wires, manhole covers, and roofing sheets.
The purchase and sale of scrap metal are now illegal across Gombe State to prevent stolen public property from being sold to dealers. The State Government has directed security agencies to arrest any dealer found operating despite the ban.
All individuals seeking to rent accommodation or move into the state must be documented by security agencies to verify their identities, before being granted permission to reside in any local government areas of the state.
The State Government also has set up an enforcement committee to implement a White Paper on grazing reserves and cattle routes to reduce rural conflicts.
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