Tag: Bale

Any Bale or chief found to be collaborating with militants and other criminals to destabilize Lagos State would have their title revoked, dethroned and prosecuted, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said on Thursday.

“Once you (the chiefs) are identified, you are gone,” he said.

Reading the riot act to hundreds of these Bales and chiefs at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Ambode said the government would not fold its arms while some unscrupulous elements collude with hoodlums to make the state ungovernable.

He spoke through the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs Mr Muslim Folami.

Folami said the meeting with all the Part II and Part III Bales and chiefs was sequel to the one organised at the palace of the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi last weekend where the Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni disclosed that security reports had indicted some of the chiefs of aiding and abetting the militants in causing mayhem in the division.

The discovery according to Folami made the government to resolve to henceforth apply the full weights of the law against any Bale or chiefs caught colluding with any criminal in the state.

“To show you how serious we were, the governor directed that we summon all of you from all the five divisions of the state to inform you of our resolve as a government to protect lives and properties of all Lagosians and in doing this, we would deal decisively with anyone found to colluding with criminals to disturb the peace-loving people of Lagos.”

Early this month, militants had stormed the riverine community of Ishawo, in Ikorodu, killing a military captain, five other policemen and dozens of residents.

Only last week, ruval cult gangs had over run some streets in Mushin causing mayhem, killing and destroying properties.

He said the government would continue to invest in the security architecture of the state wuth a view to be responsive to the safety needs of the people.

“The Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, which we just established is another initiative by the government to secure all neighbourhood from attacks from kidnappers, cultists, militants, vandals and other criminals threatening the peace of the state.”

He charged all chiefs and Bales to be fully committed to helping the government to nip the spate of violence in the state and not join hands with undesirable elements to destroy the state.

Folami also addressed the issue of land grabbing; urging these chiefs community leaders to eschew greed, adding that anyone caught fermenting trouble in any part of the state would no longer be spared.

In their response, the Bales and chiefs urged the government not to hesitate to flush out undesirable elements.

One of Bales the Alakan of Imota Chief Abudu Sani, also called for transparency in the war against crime, alleging that some unscrupulous elements within the Police Force also collude with criminals to destabilise the lead of their various communities.

He said the Bales and chiefs would continue to collaborate with the government to sanitize the state.