Transnational Crime in Southeast Asia A Growing Threat to Global Peace and Security

THE USIP SENIOR STUDY GROUP FINAL REPORT MAY 2024. Read

Criminals continue their activities in Ibadan with impunity.

Criminals of South-South and South East extraction have continued to commit various crimes in Ibadan and other towns in Oyo state to the consternation of other non-natives.

This was made possible as a result of the carefree and lackadaisical attitude of the state government to security issues relating to criminals who hide under various guises.

Indeed, there has been an unregulated influx of people from different parts of the country in the past few years which has brought about strange occurrences revolving around criminality.

These criminals are brazen and bold, and commit crime with impunity, since the state government benefits immensely from illegal roadside traders, who are a very good source of revenue for the government.

The law enforcement agencies are not in opposition to the government in this regard.

On Monday, 21 July 2025, a resident of the state capital made a Point of Sale transfer of 10, 200 to the Monie Point Micro Finance Bank Account of one Rose Luke at the wheel balancing workshop a the Mobil Petrol station along the M.KO Abiola way(Ring Road)(Account Number:8255426214-wit Ref:*****72512) at 10:26:25 AM.

Surprisingly, after quickly deleting the transaction alert from her smartphone, she insisted that she did not receive any transaction alert.

Interestingly, the POS machine she displayed was not functioning.

Sadly, state government officials in uniform are on hand to protect the criminals, who are everywhere in the ancient city, including Mokola roundabout, Agodi Gate, Oje, Beere, Idi-Arere, Molete, Challenge, Orita among several others.

Expectedly, the criminals have gone to the extent of trailing, pedestrians who are not vigilant, and eventually robbing them of their personal belongings.

The situation is very disturbing, even though there is supposed to be a government in place

Indeed, the people continue to complain about the poor handling of security matters by the government.

The Health Sector

The Federal Government has lost grip of the health sector. Nigerians now seek God’s intervention on issues pertaining to health care delivery.

 Most public hospitals are now designated mortuaries, where Nigerians are left to die, rather than recover from ailments. Interestingly, the citizenry now resorts to self-medication and traditional healing therapy as a result of their poor economic status.

 Sadly, most health workers lack the requisite skills needed to be proactive in their jobs. All these put together have resulted in high infant and maternal mortality and the prevalence of several diseases. 

In some hospitals, patients are required to buy sachets of water for medical tests. Governments at all levels ought to set goals for better health care, but this is yet to occur. 

Nigerians hope to experience an increase in life expectancy, while also coming to terms with high and substantial levels of immunization against all vaccine-preventable diseases and attaining national self-sufficiency in vaccine production. 

Up till this moment, governments at all levels have yet to ensure that universal access to primary healthcare has become a reality, in terms of support, community engagement and participation. The government has not performed commendably in the eradication, control and prevention of epidemic diseases. 

Why ?

 The corruption and rot in the system. 

Perhaps.

 Indeed, it is possible for the three tiers of the government to achieve an adequate supply of essential drugs to all health facilities, but the dubious activities of government officials have become the major impediment. 

It is only in an enabling environment that the government would be able to resuscitate a viable secondary health care system.

 Unfortunately, several uncompleted projects characterize health facilities across the country. Of disturbing worry is the fact that the commercialization of some hospitals’ functions is strangulating the already impoverished population, just as it is doubtful if existing health policies can take care of the exigencies of the present time.

Federal Workers in Oyo abandon Comrade Emelieze in detention

Workers of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDA) in Oyo State have abandoned the detained national coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum(FWF), Comrade Andrew Emelieze, as he continues to languish in detention.

The workers, who openly exhibit nonchalance and indifference towards the plight of the detained activist, have overtime benefited from their struggles and activism for better working conditions for workers.

In his remarks, the state coordinator of the FWF, Comrade Victor Osungboun, called for the unconditional release of Comrade Emeleize by the secret police.

''The reason for his detention revolves around the protests we staged on 5th May 2025 for the payment of all the outstanding arrears of federal workers. 

This is in addition to the protests against hunger and poverty that have become the way of life of workers in the country, Comrade Osungboun lamented.

Comrade Emelieze has been detained incommunicado for several days in the detention facility of the secret police.

THE DETENTION OF COMRADE ANDREW EMELIEZE BY YUSUF AKINOLA

My client, Comrade Andrew Emelieze who has been championing the struggle for the welfare of workers employed by the Federal Government has been detained again today 3/7/25 by the State Security Service (SSS) in Ibadan.

It should be recalled that the Comrade was detained on 30/6/25 and released the following day on 1/7/25.

Today, he was invited by the same DSS and detained for no stated reason.

According to the report of Mr. Yusuff Akinola, the lawyer from Abope Chambers who went to secure his bail on 1/7/25 and who also accompanied him today to the SSS office, no specific allegation of any offence was made against Comrade Andrew Emelieze. Indeed, according to Andrew Emelieze, his interrogation on 30/6/25 through 1/7/25 revolved round only facts relating to the formation of the Federal Workers Forum.

Today, 3/7/25, after he honoured the invitation of the SSS, he was asked to wait for a Senior Officer who never showed up to interrogate him.

I call on the SSS to release my client, Comrade Andrew Emelieze. If he has committed any offence known to law, he should be charged to court. 

Below are the verbatim reports of Yusuff Akinola Esq on 1/7/25 and 3/7/25, which show nothing but sheer harassment of a law-abiding citizen in person of Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

*REPORT OF VISIT TO THE OFFICE OF THE STATE SECURITY SERVICE (SSS)OYO STATE COMMAND,ON THE ARREST, DETENTION AND RELEASE ON BAIL OF COMRADE ANDREW EMELIEZE FROM 30TH June through 1ST JULY 2025*.

Around 11 a.m of 1/7/2021, I got to the premises of the Oyo State Command of the SSS located at Aleshinloye, Ibadan, Oyo State. I was initially prevented from entering the premises by the officers at the entrance gate on the ground that no lawyer can see anyone in their custody until the Investigation Officer has directly and formally invited the counsel. Later, when I stated we might make a public statement that our client had been denied access to a lawyer of his choice, I was eventually allowed to enter their main building at about 11:15 a.m. 

The officers at the counter directed me to wait at the visitors' room on the ground floor, that the Investigation Officer would come out to invite me to the Interrogation Room. After 40 minutes, the same officer informed me that they were attending to Comrade Andrew Emelieze and that I would be allowed to see him at a later time. Around 2 p.m, an officer who they all addressed as 'DLS' invited me to his OFFICE where I identified him to be their lawyer. The SSS lawyer ordered the Investigation Officer to bring Comrade Andrew to his office.

Upon the production of Comrade Andrew in their lawyer's office, I asked for the reason for his arrest and detention. Neither the lawyer nor the Investigation Officer could state the particular reason for the arrest and detention. Rather, the lawyer showed me the statement written by Comrade Andrew and he asked Comrade Andrew if he was tortured and whether the statement was made voluntarily. Comrade Andrew responded that he was never tortured and his statement was made voluntarily.

Comrade Andrew Emelieze's statement was his responses to the questions put to him about the historical facts on the formation of the Federal Workers Forum led by the Comrade which had planned a protest in Abuja for 1/7/25.

Thereafter, we were led to the 'ADS' office where I orally applied for Comrade Andrew's bail. I was informed that it was not their practice to take oral application for bail. They requested that the bail should be applied with our office letterhead within 1 hour because their officers were preparing to head out of their premises.

By 2:56 pm, I submitted, at the counter, the handwritten application for bail with Abope Chambers' letterhead. We were given a bail bond to fill around 3 pm but we had to wait till 6pm before Comrade Andrew could be released, because none of the officers present could tell us the offence Comrade Andrew had allegedly committed. Meanwhile, we needed to state the alleged offence on the bail bond. 

Around 6 p.m., the Investigation Officer came back and informed us that the alleged offences were *'Incitement and Public Disturbance'* .

Comrade Andrew was finally released around 6 p. m. and we left their premises by 6:15 p.m.

Yusuff Akinola, Esq.

*REPORT OF VISIT TO THE SSS OFFICE TODAY 3/7/25 AND DETENTION OF COMRADE ANDREW EMELIEZE*

Sequel to the invitation of Comrade Andrew Emelieze by the SSS, on the ground that there was a document we were yet to sign to perfect his earlier bail granted on 1/7/2025, Comrade Andrew and I went to the SSS Command this evening and entered their premises around 5:17 p.m.

Upon entering their main building, we were informed by one of the officers that an unidentified senior officer wanted to ask him a few questions. Hence, Comrade Andrew was directed to wait at the Waiting Room. The officer then advised that I could leave so that they wouldn't waste my time. I informed him that we were invited only to come and "perfect the bail" earlier granted and I informed him that I wouldn't leave my client behind . He therefore stated that I could stay with Comrade Andrew at the Waiting Room till the time the said senior officer would return back to office.

After 40 minutes, I informed the officer at the counter that we would like to leave as it and come back tomorrow since Comrade Andrew was already on bail and he needed to take his medication. The officer said I might leave but Comrade Andrew had to wait for the senior officer who was not available. I reminded the officer again that Comrade Andrew was on bail and there was no reason to detain him again since he had not jumped bail and I further asked if he had been detained again. The officer didn't respond to my question.

After 2 hours of waiting, around the 7:18 p.m., I had to leave the SSS Command when it became obvious that their intention was to keep Comrade Andrew in their custody. 

Upon reaching home around 9 p.m. because of the heavy rain fall and traffic , I saw two missed calls on my phone from the officer that invited us. I called him back and he informed me that the senior officer had returned but they found out I had left. I asked if they had released Comrade Andrew, he said I should come back to their office this night for the release of Comrade Andrew. I asked if he meant I had to apply for his bail again and the officer said yes. I informed him I would return to their office tomorrow, 4/7/25.

Yusuff Akinola, Esq.

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Impunity Displaces Governance

 The improvement in the system of transportation, to a very great measure, increases the physical extent and economic size of a country.

However, in the Nigerian context, a number of factors have negatively affected the transport system and this has resulted in an astronomical rise in the prices of goods and services beyond the reach of a majority of the population.

The prohibitive transportation costs coupled with the multiple taxation across the country and the unabating insecurity have all succeeded in ensuring that Nigerians remain in a perpetual state of hunger and poverty.

Curiously, levels of government have channeled generated revenue from multiple taxes, unproductively, to real estate, while Nigerians continue to daily count their landed property losses.

Indeed, the government at all levels have always contended with inadequate financial organization and the relevant knowledge.

Sadly, economic stagnation is now a major characteristic in most cities that are contending with overpopulation. 

Market men and women now cheat consumers with impunity, just a they  blame  the leadership at all levels for their unenviable attitude.

Pick pocketing, petty stealing up to grievous and heinous crimes are now common place in most communities n different parts of the country.

The people no longer display initiative and discretion in their daily activities, simply because they have been dehumanized.

Empty and unfulfilled promises are the major traits among the political office holders of today.

Petty trading and individual investments in consumables have become the preference of the people, in the absence of proactive, visionary leadership.