The newly established Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited/GTE (IDPIL/GTE), on Thursday, June 2, 2022, forged ahead in its resolve to further strengthen security across the division as they engaged stakeholders to discuss the present situation of the security architecture and proffered ways for improvement.
The well attended strategic meeting was held at the Ikorodu Town Hall, and had the attendance of traditional rulers, Baales, political leaders, elected/government officials, traditional chiefs, Community Development actors, representatives of cultural groups, market leaders, transport unions, security formations and youth groups among others.
At the event, which was themed, “Security Challenges In Ikorodu Division: The Way Forward”, issues ranging from the resurgence of ‘Ajagungbale’ menace, Okada (commercial motorcycles) activities, drug abuse, activities of police and other security agencies and bodies among others, were discussed by discussants from different fields.
Among these discussants were: ACP Bode Fakeye representing the Police, Barr. Saheed O.K. Shillings from the legal sector, Prince Niran Ogunbanwo, representing Community Development Committee, Mr. Lawal, the Area Commandant, NDLEA and Lanre Olabinjo, Commandant, LJTF, Chief Kareem Ore from the traditional institution and several others.
While there were ample contributions and recommendations from the audience, resolved and resolutions were reached on issues raised at the meeting.
Below is the communiqué issued at the end of the stakeholders’ meeting:
A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE PEACE AND SECURITY STAKEHOLDERS’ MEETING HELD AT THE IKORODU TOWN HALL ON 2ND JUNE, 2022. THE THEME WAS, ‘SECURITY CHALLENGES IN IKORODU DIVISION —- THE WAY FORWARD’
In the recent past, lkorodu division has been battling with a lot of security issues which continue to generate deep concern for well – meaning people living in the division. Despite the efforts of IKORODU DIVISION PEACE INITIATIVE to rewrite positively, the security story of lkorodu, the body was of the view that the inputs and contributions of people in the division would probably give an insight into proffering lasting solutions to the seemingly intractable security problems being confronted in the division generally, hence, the need to invite security consultants and all major stakeholders to deliberate on the raging issues.
The Stakeholders at the meeting extensively deliberated on the general insecurity in the State, particularly in Ikorodu, not forgetting security issues bothering on land grabbing, drug abuse, inter cult groups imbroglio, kidnapping and implications of ban of Okada operations in some Local Governments which excludes Ikorodu Division, together with the increasing cases of cyber-crimes. At the end of extensive deliberations, the following were resolutions passed at the meeting.
The meeting noted that Security is a collective responsibility that involves every stratum of the community. Every family must look inward while parents should do what is expected of them by giving adequate training and mentoring to their children and wards. Proper parenting roles were strongly advocated.
-Government must improve on the welfare package for all Security Agencies in order to enhance effective discharge of their onerous responsibilities.
-All the Obas in lkorodu division must be resolute and speak in unison to ensure that the land mercenaries or land grabbers do not operate in their respective domains.
-The meeting condemned in its entirety the absence of all the Chairmen of Local Government/ LCDA’s in Ikorodu Division and urged them to endeavor to partake on issues relating to the progress and development of the community, in future.
-That flowing from point (4) above , the meeting also appealed to leaders of all political parties to ensure that democratic processes should be allowed to prevail without imposition of candidates on the people as this will enable our elected representatives to be answerable or responsible to the people or electorate.
The meeting noted the nexus or link between drug abuse and criminalities and, therefore, advised NDLEA to upscale its raids and by extension, collaborate with vigilante groups, particularly operatives of IDPIL, with a view to carrying out regular raids on the black spots. The meeting also recommended that the barons rather than the peddlers of the drugs be uprooted in order to cut source of supply to the grass roots.
CDAs and Baales should work hands in gloves in order to take ownership of their domains and at all times be vigilant to avert congregation of miscreants within their community.
-All Obas, Leaders, Baales, Heads and Secretaries of families (Olotu) should meet and publicly condemn the operations of land grabbers while serious traditional pronouncements from all the obas in the division forbidding all families from inviting land mercenaries to settle land disputes while appropriate traditional sanctions be imposed accordingly on any recalcitrant family as a deterrent to others.
-The meeting also agreed that Okadas should be banned, but alternative means of transportation must be provided by Government to ease possible transport difficulties of the citizens while aggressive roads rehabilitation and grading of the hinterland be embarked upon.
-Every landlord must undertake due diligence before renting out their properties to interested tenants.
-All men/women of means should endeavour to support Security Agencies and Vigilante groups in order to motivate them for enhanced productivity.
-Called on our courts to apply stringent measures before granting bails to cultists and land mercenaries.
Commercial motor cycles must be restrained by Security Agencies from plying banned routes in Ikorodu Division.
-In view of rising cases of land disputes, it was recommended that the old method of settling land matters be adopted.
-That the Police and IDPIL should work harmoniously as there mandate is to work for the peace of the division as well as security of lives and properties therein; with the caution to both not to be over bearing on innocent people and not to act ‘ultra vires’.
-Government should look into the culpability of Bank Officials who worked in cahoot with yahoo boys to perpetrate cyber-crimes, thereby causing anguish and pains to innocent customers.
Among those at the event were Oba Bashir Sotonwa, Sekumade of Ipakodo, Otunba Ayodele Elesho, Chairman IDPIL Sub-committee on Media and Publicity, Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, Secretary, IDPIL, High Chief Olabanji Oreagba, Olumale Eluku of Ikorodu, ACP Balogun, DPO,Igbogbo Road Police Station, lkorodu, Hon Adebimpe Akinsola member, IDPIL, Chief Monzor Olowosago, Publisher, Oriwu Sun, Basorun Babatunde Rotinwa, Chief Sulaimon Ogidi, Aremo Segun Ogunlewe and others.
…Otunba Elesho, again condemn council chairmen’s indifference to security in Ikorodu
Former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State and the Agbaakin of Ikorodu Kingdom, Sir (Otunba) Ayodele Elesho, KJW, has condemned the six council Chairmen in lkorodu division for their lethargy attitudes towards efforts to improve security in the division.
Otunba Elesho’s reaction was coming on heel of the absence of the chairmen at the security stakeholders meeting held on Thursday, June 2, 2022, at the lkorodu Town hall.
While the meeting recorded impressive attendance of several notable personalities across the division, the absence of the council bosses was conspicuously noted and attracted criticism from several people at the event.
It would be recalled that since the establishment of the security body (IDPIL), the council Chairmen have refused to work with the body in any way and have continued to show their grievances towards the body by staying away from their programmes despite being duly notified and invited.
While reacting to the absence of the Chairmen, Otunba Elesho blamed bad governance and lack of responsiveness on the part Council administrators in Ikorodu on the failure of political parties to present credible aspirants for the position.
He added that the situation will not change until party primaries are conducted with transparency, fairness and made free, as against the present situation where certain aspirants are favoured.
“Our Council Chairmen are not doing well at all. We have tried everything that we could for them to be part of us (Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Ltd/GTE) but they have refused”, Otunba Elesho said.
“There is a committee on inter-governmental relation setup by IDPIL/GTE, which I am a member. We had meeting twice with them at the Local Government and whenever meeting is fixed for 11am, they would only start arriving the meeting venue at 1pm.
“We have had people that have been Heads of Service, Commissioner, Permanent Secretary, Clerk of the Assembly and so forth before they are chairmen. There is no big deal in being chairmen now”.
Charging political leaders on the need to allow due process in selecting candidate for elective positions, especially the position of the council chairmen, Otunba Elesho said:
“My message to the political leaders is that until you start conducting true primary elections, that will give us those that would represent us, especially at the Council level, we cannot progress.
“We cannot have a good Council Chairman, in as much as some believe that they are the preferred choice that are going to be nominated from Lagos. We cannot have good governance until our votes count and we are at liberty to choose who to represent us.
“We want true primary election starting from the local government”, he said.
“I am pleading with those in politics to ensure that we correct this and start having true primary elections to elect those that people truly want”.
However, Otunba Elesho who is also the Chairman, IDPIL/GTE, Publicity, Education, Enlightenment Sub-Committee, appealed to the Council Chairmen to join them in providing peace and security in Ikorodu.
“All that we are saying is that they should join us and work together with us to move Ikorodu forward, unfortunately, we started hearing all sort of things few days to the launch and unveiling of the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Ltd/GTE that they were going to prevent us from using the Ikorodu Town Hall”, he recalled.
“We are still pleading with them to join us to bring peace and security to Ikorodu Division”, he said.
Speaking on the activities of Okada riders, the former Commissioner called on the state government to extend the ban to Ikorodu.
“Okada riders are among those giving us problems and not only in Lagos but we are also experiencing that in every part of Ikorodu Division. They are constituting serious problem”, he said.
“Findings have shown that many of the commercial motorcycle riders are not Yoruba neither are they Hausas or Fulanis but people from Chad and Niger.
“We are calling on the Lagos State Government to extend the ban on the commercial motorcycles to Ikorodu because if not, all those affected in the areas where they have been banned, will move down to lkorodu to continue their operations.
“The ban should cover the whole of Lagos State with no exception of any area.
Otunba Elesho also charged the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ikorodu Divisional Police Headquarters, Mr. Balogun, and other DPOs in the Division to check the excesses of their men, especially what he termed, “their negative collaboration with Okada riders and hoodlums”.
He suggested that the state government may restrict okadas operations in Ikorodu to the interior parts with provision that there must be means of identifying and monitoring them.
“Lagos State Government should devise a method to differentiate foreigners that are engaging in commercial motorcycle riding from our own people”, he said.
“I am not saying that they should be banned outrightly, but their operations should be restricted to inner roads like Aga, Gbasemo, Erunwen and other areas”, Otunba Elesho added.
Meanwhile, Barr. Saheed O.K. Shillings, who was one of the discussants at the meeting was of the view that government cannot ban Okada without providing alternatives.
“I don’t support ban of okada operations because government has not provided alternative to them. Government should make available enough shuttle buses and tricycles”, he said.
“Any law that will bring more hardship to the people will not work because there is no alternative on ground for people to resort to.
“Let us enforce the partial ban on highways while government make available other means of conveying people around”.
Also speaking on the ‘Ajagungbale’ menace, Barr. Shillings called on the traditional rulers in the Division to make their stance known.
“I think that if our traditional rulers can stand on their feet and say they are against Ajagungbales, I don’t