In recent times, the most vicious of all vices in our society is phone snatching. This dastardly act is perpetrated by gangs of youth of 15 to 25 years, who carry weapons and terrorise people. In some instances, these youth injure their victims or even kill them.
This terrible activity has become a nightmare to people and poses a great threat to the freedom of movement of innocent citizens, making it difficult for them to go about their normal businesses, especially at night, without fear of being attacked by phone snatchers.
Phone snatching is pervasive in different states of the North. It assumes higher degree in states like Kano, Bauchi, Plateau and Gombe.
The nefarious activity can be directly or indirectly attributed to a lack of proper parental care and broken homes. The youths, who lack proper parental care or come from broken homes, usually move with the wrong people and their movements are not queried or followed up, thus having the freedom to do anything without being probed.
Peer pressure is another cause of youth involvement in social vices. The youth who spend more time with their friends easily get influenced due to their weak nature and tender age.
The negligence of parents also makes their wards turn to their friends for love, emotion, care, and advice and they are easily lured into dastardly acts. Abandoned children can look up to their friends for love and affection. Some maids, house helps, and family members who are always around children in the absence of parents can introduce vices to them.
Unemployment has also added intensity to immorality that graduates to this monster called phone snatching.
Drug abuse is another determinant. Despite the pronouncements of the efforts put in place by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to curb the menace, the percentage of drug abusers is on the rise and they easily and freely access hard drugs of their choice. This gives opportunity for the youth to be intoxicated before they carry out their devilish act of phone snatching.
It is pertinent that all stakeholders rise against social vices. Youth that engage in these dangerous acts need help and advice and rehabilitation, for the addicted ones.
Parents need to know their children’s friends, status, and other people the children associate with. This is majorly the role parents should be playing in the lives of their children. Mothers should, in particular, be close to their children. Close monitoring and time should be given to children by parents. Children should be taught the moral values that will help in shaping their cognitive ability.
The media ought to be playing their roles of education and information by organising forums that will enlighten the people about the dangers associated with social vices. In the same vein, they should be playing a surveillance role by giving early warning on any potential danger.
Security operatives, government and all stakeholders must be active and alert to caution, rehabilitate or punish (where necessary) any person that is seen as a threat to others.
All hands must be on deck to combat the menace of phone snatching in our societies.
Sulaiman Maijama’a, Faculty of Communication, Bayero University Kano
