{Police in Nyabihu District has urged commercial cyclists to join Anticrime clubs and desist from trafficking and abusing drugs and other crimes in order to safeguard the integrity of their business, and provide good services to the public.}
The call was made on December 23 during a meeting held in Mukamira Sector with about 150 members of Bicycle Travel Service Cooperative (MUBTSC).
The cyclists were also encouraged to work closely with the police and report any crime committed or about to take place including drug abuse.
Besides the fight against crime Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP), Marie Rose Uwizera, the District Community Liaison Officer also told the cyclists that use of drugs compromises community security.
“It’s criminal to use, carry, or sell narcotic substances like cannabis, illicit brew and other drugs. These substances have a health and financial effect to whoever abuses them,” she said.
She told cyclists that most criminal activities like assault, defilement, robbery and rape are committed by drug abusers.
Some of the cyclists in the district have also been implicated and arrested in drug related crimes.
“Any person who consumes drugs is not in their rightful state of mind and their actions may be violent. You must always keep in mind that effects of drug abuse leads to addiction that makes one unable to efficiently perform their duties – and in your case, this might lead you into terrible accidents that harm you and the passengers’ lives and even harm other road users. We urge you to continue cooperating with Police and report any crime particularly drug incidents,” she told the cyclists.
“It is therefore partly in your favour that you avoid the consumption of these illicit products, and concentrate on your work to develop your families.”
She also called on the commercial cycling community to work with Police through community policing by providing timely information that helps to prevent crimes.
“You should also ensure that your business is not infiltrated by masqueraders who hide behind it to commit crimes like trafficking and selling narcotic drugs.”
During the meeting, officials said that the youth compose the biggest percentage of drug users in the district and called for strong partnership to eradicate drug related crimes in the area.
Jean Baptiste Twizerimana, who heads the cyclists’ cooperative, also urged his colleagues to take the advice from Police seriously and also ensure they always abide by traffic rules.
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