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Mayhem in Ikorodu, Community Villagers Arrest Soldiers

This Day (Lagos)
NEWS
October 11, 2004
Posted to the web October 11, 2004

By Eugene Agha
Lagos
The soldiers never contemplated the reaction of the people. In the usual style
of some of them, there were there to rain mayhem, wreak havoc on Igbopa
village, a small community in Ikorodu, Lagos State, and may be sack it, having
of course, being 'handsomely paid' to hide in their taxpayers' procured uniform
to intervene on behalf of a party to a land dispute.
Dressed in military camouflage and full of confidence, the four alledged
military personnel, who were armed with guns, invaded the village on September
26, expecting to meet little or no resistance. But the reverse was the case.
The youths of the community not only mobilised to resist them, they captured
two of them while the other two fled and gave them the beating of their lives
before handing them over to the authorities.
Two of the military men , who were now telling their authorities all they know
about the action and those who sent them on the alledged invasion of the
village, were almost lynched by some of the angry youths, but for the timely
intervention of both the police and the military authorities in the area, who
rescued them.
One of the Community leaders, who simply identified himself as Baba Niyi, said
he was getting ready to go to farm when some of the villagers, who were already
in their farms, ran back to inform the community leaders of the presence of
some uniform men in their farm lands.
According to him, they said they arrived their farms located within Igbopa to
resume the days job and met about four people dressed in military camouflage
and carrying guns, keeping vigil along the major route, leading to the farm
land.
Since this was strange to them, Baba Niyi said the farmers demanded to know
what their mission was in the area, but the soldiers promptly ordered them to
go down on their kneels.
"When they asked what their offence was, they were given a beating of their
life ", Baba Niyi further alledged.
Apparently surprised at the development, the farmers requested to be allowed to
go back home since the soldiers refused to let them know what their mission
was.
Rather than allow them to go, Baba Niyi said the suspected soldiers descended
on the farmers with horse whips before asking them to go and never return to
the area again.
"They told them that the entire land of the community had been acquired by one
Ganiyu Omoola and another person they simply referred to as Jaiyesimi.
When the rumour of the alleged invasion of the community got to the village
heads, one of the leaders said they summoned a meeting of all the various age
groups at which they decided to confront the situation since they had no other
place they could call home other than Igbopa. He further stated that it took
the villagers several hours before they could locate where the military men
laid ambush for unsuspecting members of village.
Although some members of the village sustained severe injuries in the operation
before the soldiers were subdued, there was heavy jubilation across the
community after their arrest. On interrogation, the suspects reportedly told
the community's leaders that they were soldiers attached to Army Resettlement
Centre, Oshodi, and that they were contracted to do the job by one Captain
Bulama of the Army Resettlement Centre, Oshodi.
Upon the denial of the claim by the officer, that he had nothing to do with the
operation, the suspects later told the village heads that they were contacted
by Ganiyu Omoola, thereby, contradicting their first statement.
"Because of the villagers previous experience, the youths threatened to set the
soldiers ablaze to serve as deterrent to others, who might want to allow
themselves to be used in the area in future", the source said. When the news of
the arrest of the soldiers got to the Commanding Officer, 174 Battalion,
Odogunyan, Ikorodu, he was said to have directed his second in command, one
Lieutenant Mahmud, who immediately swung into action, moved to the village,
where he met that the two suspected soldiers have been taken away by the
police, who had earlier been there on hearing of the problem.
To ensure the safety of the soldiers, Mahmud was said to have immediately left
for the Ikorodu Police Station, where he met suspects detained. The Divisional
Police Officer (DPO), Ikorodu Police Station, Mr. S.A Alonge, who later ordered
the soldiers released to the army officer, ensured proper entry of the case was
made.
Mahmud, who was not happy at the development, reportedly later ordered the
soldiers detained, promising to ensure that adequate disciplinary measures were
meted out to the suspects if they were actually confirmed to be military men as
they claimed. Where they not, he said they would be handed over to the police
for prosecution.
Fast becoming very volatile, no fewer than five persons were recently declared
by security agents in Ikorodu and environs for allegedly using thugs to
terrorise residents. A police source at Shagamu Police Station stated that the
group was among those who invaded Abule-Dosumu, another community in the area,
recently.

   

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