After the mayhem, gruesome killings and wanton destruction of lives and property by militants in Oke Oko, Isawo, Ikorodu and their dislodgement by soldiers in 2016, peace has gradually returned to the town.
However, the residents are calling for government intervention to repair their dilapidated roads. When Oriwu Sun visited the community recently, it was evident that peace and calm have returned to the area and the residents have started going about their businesses without molestation.
In an interview with Mr. Banjo Obafemi Dada, the CDA Chairman of Progressive Community Development Association (CDA), Oke-Oko, Isawo, he narrated their sad experiences during the crisis, and concluded that it was God’s intervention that brought peace back to the community. He appealed to the government dilapidated roads in the community in order to put end to their sufferings.
Another resident, Mr. Biodun Sunday Chris, described the crisis that rocked the community as a fearful and terrible life-time experience, where so many people had to relocate for some time.
In his words, “It took a while before peace was restored in the community, but glory be to God for today; we have a relatively peaceful environment.” Mr. Biodun also suggested that to nip further aggression in the bud, the government should situate a barrack and a Naval Base within the community to monitor the environment properly and effectively.
Meanwhile, the Baale of Oke-Oke Community, Chief Musediku Ibrahim, in an interview with Oriwu Sun, recalled how the militants ruled the community with guns and authority while parading in Army uniforms. According to him, they were killing innocent people and even security operatives.
The Baale appealed to the government to help in sustaining the current peaceful atmosphere in his domain. He urged the government to clear a blocked canal in the community to enable free flow of water and sandfill the swampy area.
According to Baale Musediku, “The government should hasten the construction of the road from Agric Bus Stop to Ibadan Expressway because when the project is completed, the community would be safe and the militants, who built houses on water, would be exposed. We also want the government to give us a king in the community, who would oversee the affairs of the community to prevent crisis,” he said.
A trader in the community, Mrs. Quadri Olayinka, recounted how the crisis imposed fear on the residents and lamented that even though peace has gradually returned, business activity have not picked up. She urged the government to complete the construction of the road and not make it an abandoned project.
However, Oriwu Sun’s investigation showed that after the crisis, the residents, who fled Isawo community, have been returning gradually to their various homes.
It was also observed that the incident seemed to have attracted government attention to Isawo community, particularly from the State Government, which had recently approved and commenced the construction of Isawo Arepo road to link Lagos-Ibadan expressway with the aim of dislodging the militants along that axis as well as boosting development and economic activities in the area.