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Twenty-eight persons suspected to be involved in Internet fraud, ‘Sakawa’ in the Tamale metropolis have been arrested.
The suspected Sakawa boys, also referred to as Shattas in the Tamale
metropolis, were arrested during joint police and military swoops at the
Moshi Zongo and other areas in the metropolis on Saturday night.
Even though a police source that confirmed the arrest to the Daily
Graphic in Tamale failed to give details on the operations, it is
believed to be part of efforts by the Regional Security Council (REGSEC)
to clamp down on the rise of cyber fraud activities among the youth in
Tamale.
The source said some of the boys who managed to escape arrest have fled
the city but indicated that the security agencies would not relent in
their efforts to weed out miscreants in the metropolis.
Clamp down
At a public function last week, the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji
Mohammed Muniru Limuna, gave a hint that the Regional Security Council
was going to clamp down on the operations of the ‘Sakawa Boys.’
The swoop is, therefore, believed to be part of the strategy by the
security to deal with such criminal activities which is tarnishing the
image of the city.
The minister also condemned the rising youth indiscipline in the
metropolis, and urged all, especially religious and traditional leaders,
to support efforts to deal with the situation.
Intransigence
The ‘Sakawa boys’ who were infuriated by the pronouncement of the
minister to “crush them,” dared him to go ahead with his decision.
In a display of arrogance, the boys allegedly went ahead to threaten
the minister with text messages to “Kill him” if he dared to ensure
their arrest.
It is therefore believed that the swoop was in response to the threat on the minister who is also the chairman of the REGSEC.
Reaction
Meanwhile, some residents in the metropolis have hailed the operations
of the security to clamp down on the activities of the “Sakawa boys”
whose deeds, the people said, if not brought under control, could fester
to pose a threat to the security of the area.
Credit: Graphic Online
