The Special Adviser to the Governor on Community and Communications, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan has kicked off joint monthly security forum to strategise on how to tackle security challenges in Lagos State.
During its third forum held on Thursday, July 28, 2016 at the main Auditorium of the Ikorodu local government secretariat, stakeholders discussed and brain-stormed on how to stem the tide of security challenges in the division.
While addressing the CDAs and CDCs on a topic entitled: “Securing our Communities,” the Special Adviser said that the current security reports concerning Ikorodu did not make the State Governor happy. According to him, the security challenges had elicited more concern for the division and that government would do everything possible to ensure the safety of lives and property in all parts of the state. Hon. Bamigbetan want communities to be their brothers’ keepers by looking over their neighbours apartments and raising necessary alarm at any strange occurrence.
According to the paper presented, there had been several socio-economic threats, which included activities of beggars, street traders, who sometimes engaged in robbery during heavy traffic congestion.
He also observed that cultism is becoming rampant in Mushin, Agege, Ajeromi Ifelodun and Ikorodu but said the state government would not relent in its efforts to get rid of cultism in the state.
He did not fail to mention pipeline vandals, political things and land-grabbers, whose activities also constitute major threats to peace in the state. According to him, RRS and other security operatives raid hideouts regularly through the efforts of the state government. He stated that since January 2016, many suspected Boko Haram sects had been arrested.
The Special Adviser also assured that the law which would deal with land-grabbers had passed second reading in the State House of Assembly and that very soon an end would come for such menace.
He revealed that in recent times, motor cyclists had continued to commit crimes, particularly when people had gone to work. Bamigbetan also alerted Lagosians that armed robbers had started collecting their victim’s ATM cards and with the use of POS, got their money withdrawn.
He advised Lagosians to secure their lives and property by illuminating their residences and by not putting their keys outside. It also includes keeping their gates and entrances locked up, installing alarm systems, avoiding flamboyant life styles, avoiding announcement of their public engagement and avoiding taking some dangerous routes.
To avoid hostage taking, he said that one should stop walking alone at odd hours and in the case of being kidnapped, adequate cooperation should be given to the abductors. Continuing further, he said, “But be bold enough to challenge strange persons in your vicinity. Information gathering and dissemination are very important. CDAs and CDCs should engage themselves in this,” he stated.
He assured that a bill to regulate vigilance groups’ activities in the state had just been passed. The provost Marshal of Onyabo Vigilance Group, Mr. Lanre Labinjo, disclosed various challenges encountered by his group in curbing criminal activities in Ikorodu. According to him, the genesis of crimes in Ikorodu started from land grabbing, which turned Ikorodu youths to thugs and at the same time cultists, who are terrorizing the division today.
The challenges of his group as he indicated earlier include, lack of supports from both state and local governments, lack of funding, lack of police support. He said that he knew those behind various criminalities in Ikorodu and petitions had been sent to various quarters without getting the desired responses.
The Onyabo commander mentioned the name of Sir K. Oluwo as the land speculator, who sponsors members of Eiye confraternity while he named Mr. Rasheed Alayande, popularly known as Achebe as the sponsor of the Aiye axe men.
He expressed sadness that over forty people were killed in Ikorodu when the cultists celebrated their 7/7 day. He said that what baffled him a lot was how arrested cultists get released easily and return to continue their nefarious activities.
Mr. Labinjo also revealed that about fifty cultists were arrested by his group and almost all of them had returned to the community to continue committing crimes. He, therefore, urged the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to work on land law, which would not allow easy bail for cultists. In conclusion, he stated that with joint patrol along with SARS and other security operatives including cooperation from CDC, CDA and all residents, peace would be restored in Ikorodu.
The representative of DSS, Mr. Adeleke Funso, also called attention to the proliferation of fire arms in Ikorodu, observing that many people were already in possession of fire arms. In his view, pipeline vandals have graduated to militancy because of non-availability of fuel in pipelines for some months now.
Mr. Adeleke said that kidnapping takes place on daily basis because of the ransom being paid, which he referred to as the motivating factor. Speaking on cultism, he explained that it was not easy to prove that a person is a cultist because of lack of tangible evidence such as arresting the person with fire arms.
Besides cultism, he said that some other causes of crimes in the land included poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, among others.
The publisher of Oriwu Sun, Chief Monzor Olowosago, spoke about how he had used his medium to better the lots of Ikorodu and its people. He talked about how crimes were being reported and how much enlightenment had been provided both to the residents and the government on the activities of Onyabo Vigilance group.
He praised the local security outfit for working twenty four hours to ensure security of lives and property throughout Ikorodu division while advising neighbourhood watchers at the forum to make themselves visible in securing Ikorodu and the state as a whole.
The state coordinator, Neighourhood Watch grassroots security outfit, Alhaji M.K. Sanni, revealed how his men provided useful security tips and information to the police. He said that RRS and other security agencies got security reports of every community in the state from his group.
Other speakers at the forum included, the Special Senior Assistant to the Governor on Community Affairs, Alhaji T. A. Quadri; Sole Administrator, Ikorodu Local Government, Prince Gbolahan Ogunleye, among others. After questions and answer session, the forum ended.
Those who were present during the forum were Mr. Dapo Olakulehin, Director Community Agric, Ministry of local government and Community Affairs; Director Communities development, Ministry of local government and Community Affairs, Ewumi Dosunmu S.L.; Advisory Council, Alhaji M. A.K. Dosunmu; Advisory Council, Prince Gabriel Osibodu; General Secretary Advisory Council, Chief I. O Orija.
Others were former Director in the State Civil Service, Mr. Eniola Awolaru, amongst others.