Residents of Ijede, a community in Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos, have raised the alarm that the area has become a hub for suspected criminals, hoodlums and armed robbers.
The residents disclosed this in a two-page petition to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, Kayode Aderanti.
The petition, dated March 13, 2017, was jointly signed by the Chairman, Ijede Residents Association, Alhaji Sumonu Salami, and Secretary, Michael Owolabi.
The residents stated in their petition that the part of the community from which the suspected criminals had been operating was only a few meters away from the Ijede Police Divisional Headquarters.
The petition also explained further that the suspected criminals lived inside the shanty and makeshift structures scattered in the area.
“We hereby call on you, sir, to use your good offices and crime fighting prowess to assist us in this community.
Several complaints to the area commander and DPO here, seem to have fallen on deaf ears, as no action whatever has been taken by the police authority here to assist us,” the residents said.
one Oba was allegedly harbouring some hoodlums, who eventually invaded Mowo-Nla
The petition added that, recently, a first class traditional ruler, Oba Adeoriyomi Oyebo, the Obateru of Egben Kingdom, Ikorodu, a neighbouring community in Lagos, was last week detained over the death of two policemen in Mowo-Nla village, Ijede Local Council Development Area of the town.
The monarch, who was released on Friday evening, after two days in detention, was asked to return two AK47 police rifles in his custody. Police invited him, penultimate Wednesday, over the alleged killing of policemen and some others in his domain.
It was gathered that the monarch, who was not told why the police in Ijede wanted to see him, went to the station with his wife. He was shocked when he was ordered to be detained for interrogation.
The petitioners alleged that Ijede and the traditional ruler’s domain were notorious for the activities of hoodlums and land grabbers, who allegedly carried out various heinous crimes that had reportedly cut short the lives of many innocent residents.
It was gathered that early on that same Wednesday, policemen at a nearby Ijede Police Division had received a distress call.
Unknown to them, it was an ambush by some of the hoodlums in the community, who had perfected plans to attack them.
One of the victims, a police inspector, who led his colleagues to the area, following the distress call, ran into the ambush by the hoodlums, who allegedly opened fire on them, killing the inspector.
Another policeman had allegedly died earlier, following injuries he sustained from several matchet cuts. It was gathered that the hoodlums attacked the policemen because the monarch did not allow them to sell lands illegally.
There was, however, a twist in the whole saga, when Otunba Kamorudeen Lamina, another resident of Ijede and a Lagos-based property consultant, petitioned the police.
The petitioners said that they complained about the development to the Area Commander, ‘Area N,’ Ijede, who told them that one Oba was allegedly harbouring some hoodlums, who eventually invaded Mowo-Nla.
He alleged that the police had earlier arrested three of the hoodlums, who were said to have confessed that the monarch asked them to invade the community.
“From the look of things, it is obvious that our lives and properties cannot be safe in an environment of this nature.
We would, therefore, appeal to you to come to our aid by sending your men from the headquarters to come and raid this place. We would provide the necessary assistance that you may require, sir, in the course of assisting us.
This is because the police officers and men here seem to have exhausted their bank of crime fighting techniques.”
When contacted for comment, the state Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, confirmed the receipt of such a petition and added, “I have already directed investigation into the petition and I can assure you that soon, normalcy will return to the areas.”
