From Yakubu Busari,Jos
L-R: DPO Nasarawa Gwom,Jos North, A .A Iliya, Alhaji Yahaya Ali and Ali and another guest at the meeting
The President of West African Association of Small Business Operators, WASSBO, Alh Yahaya Ali Ali has lamented constant harassment and intimidation of members by security personnel and bandits in Nigeria .
Yahaya who made this disclosure during a stakeholders meeting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, said most of their members operating Point of Sale, POS, for money transfers have been attacked during transactions, mostly when the amount involved runs into N10,000 and above. The meeting was attended by members of the association and the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Edward Ebuka.
Speaking further during his presentation, Alhaji Ali wondered why POS operators who are operating a legitimate and legal business which is register with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to assist Nigerian access their money without stress, would undergo frequent intimidation from security personnel, adding, “we have lost millions of naira to fraudsters who are taken advantage of porous security situation in the country to subject our members to attacks that are ruining their businesses.”
According to him the stakeholders meeting was called create educate members and to ensure they adopt measures to keep their businesses safe from swindlers.
He warned his colleagues to always disregard those coming to them with stolen ATM cards and always promptly communicate with the security personnel to arrest the culprits
The commissioner of police, Plateau State Command of the Nigeria Police, represented by the DPO Nasarawa Gwom ,Jos North A .A Iliya, urged them to report any security personnel involved in harassing them and cautioned them against opening their business premises without the involvement of security personnel. He aslo warned them against staying late at night and urged them to install camera, security doors or windows to enable them operate freely.
