After days of high tensions, calm has returned to communities on the borders of Lagos and Ogun State in Ikorodu, following last week’s deadly invasion by alleged Ijaw militants who gunned down more than twenty residents before security operatives moved in to curtail their gruesome acts.
Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, who visited the affected communities of Elepete, Igbo-Olomu, Imaamuola, Oke Muti, Ereko, Magbon, Pakisa and parts of Agbede, reported in this piece that although calm is gradually returning to the communities, residents are still too scared to return to their normal everyday life.
ECHOES of last week’s deadly invasion of some communities on the borders of Lagos and Ogun State, by suspected Ijaw militants, which led to the death of about 20 people, continued all through the week as residents and security agencies alike struggled to solve the many puzzles left behind by the sudden attacks.
There are many unclear details including the real reasons why the bandits decided to attack residents of the affected communities as well as the actual death toll of the unfortunate incident. A visit to some of the affected communities by our correspondent, revealed several unknown details of the incident as well as the current state of things in the area.
Affected communities include Igbo Olomu, Oke Muti, Elepete, Ajegunle, Imaamuola, Magbon, Pakisa, Ereko and Agbede. Most of the villages were deserted all through the week on account of the mayhem.
Some of the residents who fled the scenes of the attacks are gradually returning to the communities even as others vowed never to live in the area again. Many of those who are reluctantly retracing their step back are the house owners while majority of those who were tenants and shop owners in the area are not thinking of residing or doing business in the troubled area again.
Our correspondent spoke with some of the residents and got fresh insights into the incident. It was reliably gathered that the militants actually wrote the residents of some of the communities they attacked, two weeks or thereabout before they eventually came calling, informing them of their decision to invade the area to kill and maim its residents.
A community leader in Elepete, Alhaji Bashiru Adeoye, told The Nation that some Community Development Associations (CDA) had confirmed getting copies of letters allegedly written by the militants to inform the people of their coming, prior to the day they eventually unleashed mayhem on the area.
“It is actually true that they (the militants) wrote letters to inform us of their coming but nobody took their correspondence serious. I learnt of the letter from one of the CDAs around Agbede area. We were at a political meeting when one of our party members told the gathering that his CDA got a letter from some people who threatened to attack them soon.
“The issue was discussed at that meeting but not with much seriousness. At the end of the discussion, the person who raised the issue was advised to tell his CDA executives to go to the Police and lodge a complaint. Another person even said something about hearing some people discussing a similar letter somewhere in Igbo Olomu.
“Sadly, nobody did anything serious about the said letters and we all waited until we were caught unawares. It is a lesson we learnt the hard way though. I am sure should anything like that happen again, we will all take it very serious and take necessary actions. It was after the attack that more people started talking about letters,” he said
Another resident who claimed to have seen some Ijaw youth moving suspiciously around his house few days before the shooting started, told our correspondent that the invasion must have been planned for days before it was eventually carried out. Our source, a member of the local security outfit in Ereko community, said the residents of the area were not security conscious enough before the unfortunate incidents.
“I am a member of the local vigilante here. We are the ones providing security services for the communities here. W e have been doing that for many years before now. But of recent, many of the communities have been without security guards. Most of them sacked their security men and did not hire other ones.
Amongst other reasons, they claim the residents are not paying and as such it has become difficult to pay security hoards. Even some CDAs sacked their own security men too. So, for months, these areas were without security guards. Although Police teams used to patrol around here once in a while, there was no much security, especially at night,” he explained.
Calm so far
The Nation learnt that since penultimate Friday, no case of attack or killing has been reported anywhere near the area. According to visibly worried residents who spoke to our correspondent, it is being hoped that the last has been heard of the ugly development. Some business premises, which were all closed during the week of terror, are now opening for business.
“You can see that relative peace and calm is reigning here. But we hope this is not the peace of the graveyard underneath which some danger still lurk. But so far, we haven’t heard of any attack from far and near. The last incident was about a week ago now. Since then, the militants appeared to have left us to pick the pieces of the mayhem they unleashed on us.
“People are gradually returning to the communities. But many have also vowed not to come near here ever again. Many landlords like myself have no choice but to come back to their properties. But those people who were tenants, squatters or shop owners around here before the incidents are largely the ones who wouldn’t want to come back here.
You can see that the houses are gradually being opened. People are still waiting to be sure all is well before they return. I am sure more people will be here this weekend,” he said.
Another community leader, Gbade Oguntade, a Community Development Association (CDA) executive in Igbo Olomu, attested to the fact that there has been no violent incident in the area for days now following the intervention of the state government and the security agencies in the crisis rocking the affected communities.
“The attacks appear to have stopped but our people who ran away are yet to return. For two days now we haven’t had any killings or violence. That is appreciable but what we seek is permanent peace in our communities,” he stressed.
Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Sinai Agunbiade, who represents Ikorodu Constituency 1 described the attacks as unfortunate but said calm is gradually returning to the troubled communities.
He said:”Interactions with people around the axis today (Friday), revealed that the situation appears calm since the visit of the Police Commissioner and his team. I will sustain my constant link with our Royal Majesty, the Police Commissioner, the RSS Commandant as well as local security personnel and some community leaders around the axis, on this matter.
“My advice is that we continue to call and advocate that the Military and the Police be more equipped to carry out their constitutional responsibilities in and around these areas. It is hoped that when all the measures already highlighted are fully put in place by the Police, the troubled communities of Imuti, Elepete and part of Ajegunle (all in Ogun state where the trouble is more intense) and Igbo Olomu with the part of Ajegunle village that fall within Lagos state will breathe peace. “
Agunbiade urged the residents to be vigilante even as he assured the readiness of the state government to go beyond merely securing the lives and properties of the people. According to him, the government of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is determined to get to the root of the incident and identify the remote and immediate causes of the invasion.
“We are happy calm is gradually returning to the affected areas. While I want to state again that the areas largely affected are in Ogun state, we are not unmindful of the threats posed for our own communities in Agbede and its environs. It is for this reasons that I want to assure the people that the government of Lagos State will not only protect the lives and properties of the residents, but will also get to the root of the ugly incident so as to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.
Reasons
The Nation also got to know of some possible reasons for the unexpected orgy of violence. According to sources within the affected communities, the militants who allegedly attacked and killed residents of the several communities in the area, did not come from some far away places. Rather, they are Ijaw youths who had lived nearby in the creeks of Isawo, Majidun and Arepo, with the people they opened fire on.
“These boys didn’t come from anywhere far. They are our neighbors who lived on the other side of the meadow there. They are Ijaw youths who had lived nearby in the creeks of Isawo, Majidun and Arepo. Some of them even live amongst us here. They know these areas well, that is why they were able to come in, kill and escape for days without fear.
“What we heard was that they did what they did because they were angry over the killing of two of them by security men in connection with a robbery incident. The story is that the persons killed were two of their Commanders and they decided to avenge the death of the two by killing innocent citizens and security men.
“It was even said that they said for each one of their dead colleagues, they will kill 50 persons. So, it was the killing of those two that prompted them to cross the creek down here in speed boats and unleash terror on our communities for days. If this is the truth, then it is sad that the Polcie left us unprotected after provoking these criminals,” our source said.
But another resident, who claim to be close to some of the Ijaw boys due to his involvement in the sales of “black market” petrol, said the reason for the invasion goes beyond the story of the killed armed robbers. According to him, the militants were merely letting out months of pent up anger when they stormed the communities and rained bullets on innocent people.
“For months, these guys were idle and jobless in the creeks there. Oil bunkering business has nearly gone into extinction as the Naval boys kept eagle eyes on the vandals, killing them in their dozens. They tried kidnapping and they weren’t too lucky. So, they turned to robbery which also didn’t prove safe. It was this idleness and anger that led them to that mad outburst.
“And if you are wondering why they attacked these communities, you need to know that there has been several face-off between the youths of some of the affected communities and the vandals in the past. For example, about two years ago, Vigilante security men in some parts of Agbede and the Ijaw youths clashed when the security men refused to allow the vandals transport stolen petroleum product through their territory.
“Also, recently, precisely during the hunt for those who kidnapped the Babington Macauley girls, there were allegations and counter allegations that some residents of one of the affected communitites led detectives to the hideout of one of the Ijaw youths arrested in connection with the crime. Since then, temper has been on the rise between the two camps,” he said.
Security beefed up
The Nation observed that security in the affected areas have been beefed up immensely as the Lagos State Police Command and the 81 Division, Nigerian Army, have deployed over 2,000 security personnel to keep vigil over the people and their properties.
According to Army spokesman in Lagos, Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley Samuel, the Army has cordoned off the area in order to restore peace. He said men of the OP Messa have increased and more personnel are on the ground to avert any reoccurrence, adding, “peace has returned and our officers are there. There is no issue anymore. Our patrol team has been reinforced.”
The Lagos Police boss, Fatai Owoseni, also said there is nothing for the people to fear. “We are also working round the clock to stop the perpetrators from further terrorizing the people of these communities,” he said.
“The situation is better than it was but we are still of the opinion that something more can be done about the security arrangement,” Gbade Oguntade, a Community Development Association (CDA) executive in Igbo Olomu, told The Nation yesterday.
He added: “ What we have here are soldiers and policemen on patrol. They go and come at intervals. What we are asking for is a permanent security post to protect us from these killer gangs.
“They come without warning. They come in their speed boats through the waterways and unleash mayhem before speeding off again. If we are to rely on security people who are not permanently here with us, we cannot be said to be safe at all. The best thing is to have 24 hours security personnel on ground with us here,”
The community leader however attested to the fact that there has been no violent incident in the area for two days now following the intervention of the state government and the security agencies in the crisis rocking the affected communities.
“The attacks appear to have stopped but our people who ran away are yet to return. For two days now we haven’t had any killings or violence. That is appreciable but what we seek is permanent peace in our communities,” he stressed.
Security men were sighted conducting stop and search operations in the area. Operational vehicles of outfits like the Rapid Response Force (RRS), OP MESA and the Nigerian Army were also seen across the communities. All major roads leading into each community were cordoned off by security men
According to reports, the Rapid Response Squad is also involved in the efforts to further secure the areas and prevent a recurrence of the orgy of violence.
“The Commissioner of Police has ordered deployment of more men to the place as at 12 noon yesterday. As I speak, there are thousands of policemen from the Mobile Police Squadron, the RRS, Ikorodu Divisions, Area Commands and military personnel there. Residents are no longer deserting the area because we are all there to secure them.”
Also speaking,Representative Babajimi Benson (Ikorodu) said all hands were on the deck to “ensure that life and property are adequately protected. Benson said he had been assured by the Police Commissioner and the Commander of the RRS that troops would further be deployed to strengthen the current security arrangement in the axis.
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