By Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Delta State Commissioner of Police Ari Mohammed Ali has traced the crime wave in the country to the EndSARS protests last year during which arms and ammunition were looted by hoodlums.

He said such arms are still in the hands of the hoodlums who use them to perpetrate crime, thereby worsening the security situation in the country.

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The CP spoke with reporters on Tuesday n Asaba, the state capita, noting that the protest, which started peacefully with genuine intentions, was later hijacked by hoodlums, including internet fraudsters, kidnappers, cultists and armed robbers.

Mohammed Ali said the security agencies, particularly the police, were the worst hit, pointing out that many police personnel were killed, their formations and vehicles vandalised, while arms and ammunition were carted away by the criminals.

He said police personnel were disillusioned and their morale dampened due to the losses suffered, forcing them to withdraw their presence from public places for fear of being attacked.