Efforts of traditional rulers and major stakeholders in lkorodu division to fight insecurity across the division has, again, received a major boost with the formation of the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Ltd/GTE (IDPlL/G), a security architecture initiated to create a conducive atmosphere for social, economic and cultural activities to thrive and bring development to every part of the division.
The outfit will also see to the correction of the bad image created for the division through negative reports caused by insecurity and criminal activities.
The idea that led to the birth of the initiative was conceived by the royal fathers in the division while the inaugural meeting for former discussion was held at the Ayangbure palace on February 24, 2021. The Board of Trustees of the body, which membership cut across the six councils, is headed by the Odofin of Ikorodu, High Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya. Other members of the Board of Trustees are – Chief Mrs Nosimot Adebimpe Akinsola (member), Rev. Col. Bolaji Titilola Onafowokan (member), Engr. Rasheed Omokayode Shoderu (member), Dr. Moses Oladunjoye Oyebo (member) and Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun Abiru (Executive Secretary).
On Monday, December 13, 2021, the publicity, education and enlightenment sub-committee of IDPIL/G, under the Chairmanship of Sir (Otunba) Ayodele Elesho, the Agbaakin of Ikorodu Kingdom, held a press conference where the birth of the initiative was formally announced to the media and the general public.
The press conference, which was held at the conference room of the Ayangbure palace, also witnessed the formal presentation of the Commandant – General of the Ikorodu Division Joint Task Force, Chief Lanre Olabinjo and his operatives.
Meanwhile, Sir (Otunba) Ayodele Elesho, while addressing journalists at the press conference, said that the initiative is aimed at creating conducive environment that will create and promote opportunities for self-engagement and enhance business activities across lkorodu division.
“I have the singular honour and privilege, with the blessings of our royal fathers, to formally announce to the good people of Ikorodu Division and the general public of the birth of the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative LTD/GTE (IDPIL/G,)” Sir Elesho said. “The efforts of the organization are geared towards intervening in the socio-economic and cultural activities of residents and citizens in furtherance of a functional and conducive environment that will create and promote opportunities for self-engagement and enhance business activities, trade, education and commerce. Very importantly, this security outfit has been operating as one body with aim and objective, which is peace and progress to the entire division in order to change the negative narratives and bad press about the insecurity within Ikorodu Division as a whole.”
“The project is viewed alongside Community policing to compliment the government’s security architecture for a better Ikorodu Division in sync with the Greater Lagos State Agenda.” He said that the security outfit, which is an initiative of the royal fathers in the division, came into being to tackle insecurity. “The Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative LTD/GTE (IDPIL/G) is a community initiative and a ‘child of necessity’ birthed by the rising wave in crime and general state of insecurity within Ikorodu Division in recent time, especially the nefarious activities of the cult groups, Land grabbers and some other miscreants,” he said.
“Consequently and knowing the security peculiarities of the major towns in Ikorodu Division and noting the presence of vigilante groups in these towns, the Royal Fathers, in consultation with some respected elders of the community, came together to fashion out a body that would unify and coordinate the activities and operational aspects of the vigilante groups; hence, the amalgamation of the various vigilante groups in Ikorodu Division into one indivisible Local Joint Task Force after security scrutiny of the selected members. It is now called “Joint Task Force” because their operations are jointly carried out in partnership with officers of the Nigerian Police Force.”
While announcing that the Nigerian Police Force is involved in the joint task force, Sir Elesho also revealed that the security operatives will operate based on six zones for effective operation. “For easy administration and better operation of the security operatives and following the existing Local Government/Local Council Development Area structure, the Ikorodu Division Local Council Joint Task Force was sub – divided into six zones with all the major zones with their operational heads. The zones are: Zone 1 – Ikorodu Central, Zone 2 – Ikorodu West LCDA, Zone 3 – Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Zone 4 – Ijede LCDA, Zone 5 – Imota LCDA and Zone 6 – Ikorodu North LCDA.
“It is pertinent to note that, with the composition of the Local Joint Task Force, which of course includes members of the Nigerian Police Force, the operation of the LJTF have continued to yield impressive security dividends as the relative peace being enjoyed in Ikorodu Division presently is to the glory of God and the Local Joint Task Force of IDPIL/G, which has been operating covertly for months.
For effective service delivery, the LJTF was departmentalized into four parts, namely – Intelligence gathering, Operations, Logistics and ICT, and Administration, all to be headed by competent officials. The project is viewed alongside community policing to compliment the government’s security architecture for a better Ikorodu Division and in sync with the Greater Lagos State Agenda,” he added.
Sir Elesho also stated that the body has identified some black spots in and around Ikorodu Division, which are under its surveillance. “IDPIL/G has been able to identify several security black/flash spots in the entire Ikorodu Division, which are daily being monitored by our security operatives,” he said. “We have identified all the black spots in the division. We have them all over. We are working seriously to tackle these spots. We have the intelligence gathering department. We are going all out and we are mobilizing everything that we have in our arsenal to attack these hoodlums. There has been a downward trend in the cases of attacks, robbery and other vices. There is no doubt about that and this is as a result of our consultations and collaborations with other security agencies.
The trend will continue to go down, although we cannot eliminate criminalities but we will continue to do everything to reduce it to the barest minimum,” he assured.
He said that the body is currently working on salary, insurance scheme and welfare package for the members of the operatives, some of whom he said have been trained at the police college in Ikeja and have since been working for some months.
While responding to question from the media men on the recruitment of operatives for the joint task force, Sir Elesho explained that those recruited were properly scrutinised and screened and were found to be persons with no criminal records. He, however, warned that anyone of the operatives found violating the code of conduct or laws that established the task force would not go scot free but prosecuted and jailed if found guilty.
On the need for support for the joint task force, he stated that security is a serious issue that requires huge finances; hence, he sought the support of the government, well-meaning individuals, organisations and institutions for the success of the security initiative.
Also speaking, Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun Abiru, Executive Secretary of the body, said that the body needs the support of the members of the public, including market women and men, road transport unions, among others, to succeed and assured that everybody will be carried along.
He added that the main focus of the body is to create an enabling environment across lkorodu division that everyone would be proud of and live in peacefully.
Abiru also appreciated the media for their attendance and appealed to them to assist in projecting IDPIL/GTE positively to the members of the public.
Others at the press conference were: Chief (Mrs) Nosimot Adebimpe Akinsola, Chief M.J. Odusoga, Baale Omitoro, Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo, Chairman, Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Alhaja Laolat Alaka, retired director in the Lagos State Ministry.
There were also operatives of DSS, SCIB, FCIB and LASTMA in attendance