Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State government has threatened to shut down hotels, restaurants, and recreational centers aiding or providing cover for criminals.
A statement by the Commissioner for Border Peace and Internal Security, Stanley Emegha, yesterday, said investigations revealed some criminals were sheltered in hotels and recreational centers from where they launch out at nights against unsuspecting members of the public.
“Sometimes, the proprietors of these joints are privy to the nefarious activities of these hoodlums without exposing their identity to security agents for arrest and prosecution. The state government has been keeping close surveillance on these joints for some time now.
“Consequently, the government has perfected arrangements to seal the affected joints if the proprietors assumed to be partners in crime with the hoodlums fail to refrain themselves from such reprehensible acts. Landlords of such hotel proprietors will equally not be left out in the government sealing order,” said Emegha.
The commissioner also decried the abuse of minors brought into night clubs by their proprietors saying the state would revoke licences of such businesses.
“Night clubs have shamelessly allowed some of their customers to parade minors and under aged youths, especially teenage girls (below of 18 years of age) who indulge in all manner of immoral lifestyle at awkward hours of the night without recourse to government attitudinal change campaign.
“Henceforth, the government will not hesitate to revoke the right of occupancy of any landlord or penalise any hotel manager for condoning such immoral conduct that tends to compromise the future of Ebonyi youths,” Emegha said.