- Quiet regrouping of dislodged militants, pipeline vandals sparks anxiety in Lagos, Ogun communities
Barely over a year after the military flushed out militants and pipeline vandals from the creeks of Ikorodu and neighbouring Lagos and Ogun communities, the hoodlums are back to the spots where they once terrorised residents, creating fear and panic in the affected communities. Disturbed residents say the fears may heighten in the weeks ahead except something is done by security agencies to contain the hoodlums.
It will be recalled that the military on December 28, 2016 launched an exercise code-named Jagunlabi, to flush out kidnappers, armed robbers and militants from Lagos State. The exercise, an offshoot of Operation AWATSE, launched at Majidun in Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, covered all Lagos backwaters and hinterlands.
The Nation gathered during a visit to the communities including Ishawo, Owutu, Ogijo, among others, that the militants found their way back into the communities about two months ago and had carried out series of pipeline vandalism in some oil installations outside the radar of security forces.
Sources at Ishawo told The Nation during a visit to the community that the militants have been using the community as a base to shield themselves from the prying eyes of soldiers stationed around the area, while they vandalise pipelines around Ogijo, a community that shares border with Ikorodu town.
A resident of Ishawo, Arthur Aladelola, said: “There was a reprieve after soldiers drafted here displaced the militant boys and armed vandals from the creeks, following heavy shelling. But they secretly returned to the community this year to continue from where they stopped their illicit activities.
“This time around, they are not operating from the creeks around here because of the heavy presence of security forces. But they have been wreaking havoc in places like Ogijo where they have vandalised some pipelines on more than two occasions.”
Although Aladelola said the hoodlums had not destroyed the pipelines located in the community, he was quick to add that they had been robbing innocent residents of valuables, especially at nightfall when many residents who work in the city are returning home.
He said: “The militants have come back to terrorise us. Their return has led to rising cases of robbery attacks. Not a few residents have been dispossessed of valuable items while they are returning from work in the night, and this has caused the people to live in fear.
“Police and security forces should not limit their operations to the creeks and location of oil facilities here alone; they should also carry out surveillance on the neighbourhoods to fish out the bad boys who usually mingle with unscrupulous persons in the community to smoke cannabis like chimney.”
Another resident, who simply identified himself as Oladeinde, said the second coming of the hoodlums portends great danger for the people of the community.
He said: “They have been returning in trickles and this is usually their style whenever they want to continue in their clandestine activities at the expense of our peace.
“What is needed to contain the hoodlums is for security forces to initiate proactive intelligence gathering and constant surveillance of the environment to discourage the boys from finding a safe haven in this community.”
There was also an echo of agony in Owutu, where sources claimed the hoodlums had been sighted on several occasions, boasting about their escapades in bursting pipelines and sundry crimes in recent times.
Oladeinde said: “The militants are back. Although we have not recorded any case of pipeline vandalism here, their presence in this neighbourhood raises fear about our safety, because they have a meeting point where they make a lot of noise after taking liquour and hard drugs.
“Before you know it, they will start abducting people for ransom, hence the need to put them in check, once and for all. As we speak, there are many residents who are contemplating leaving on account of the hoodlums’ return.
“The military should increase the tempo of their operations to eject the hoodlums from our midst. We gathered that some of them relocated to the riverine communities in Ondo State, but were dislodged by government forces, hence they decided to return here.”
A community leader who pleaded anonymity said the hoodlums had collaborated with some queer elements in the communities to return to their old ways.
The community leader said: “What we have discovered is that the hoodlums are being shielded by their collaborators in the neighbourhoods. Many of them are living in houses where their landlords are harbouring them despite knowing their backgrounds.
“There is need for intelligence gathering by law enforcement agencies so as to identify the militants, because some of us cannot freely express our reservation about their stay in the community for fear of being singled out for violent attack by these violent boys.”
When our correspondent visited Ogijo, an Ogun State community that shares border with many communities in Ikorodu, residents confirmed that the hoodlums had been bursting pipelines and stealing petrol with impunity in the last few weeks.
An automobile technician, who did not want his name in print, explained that some residents had started relocating from the town for fear of being caught in the web of violent attack by the returnee hoodlums.
He said: “I can confirm to you that they are back and they have continued in their old ways, vandalising pipelines. Within the last two weeks, they have destroyed several pipelines, and their presence is causing fears among the people in this community.
“The relative peace we have enjoyed so far may snap anytime from now, if nothing is done about the hoodlums.
“Before you know it, they may step up their fiendish activities by abducting and killing innocent people with impunity. Ironically, there are military personnel in this town, but we wouldn’t know if they are turning their eyes away from the activities of the hoodlums.
“As we speak, not a few residents are relocating from this community and others are waiting to see if the police and other law enforcement agencies would intervene before fleeing this town.”
A chieftain of a transport association in the community, identified simply as Alani, accused property owners in the area of shielding the hoodlums. He also explained that the military men deployed in the area were not proactive enough in discharging their duties, noting that the hoodlums should have been intercepted the moment they returned to the town.
He said: “In neighbouring communities like Elepete, the community leaders are very vigilant and unanimous in their resolve to prevent the hoodlums from carrying out violence and pipeline vandalism there.
“Apart from the soldiers deployed in the community to maintain law and order, every landlord is a vigilante there. They monitor residents, including tenants and visitors, closely and do not shield armed vandals and militants.
‘However, the same cannot be said of landlords in Ogijo; they seem to be unconcerned about doing thorough background checks on visitors and prospective tenants. The hoodlums live in rented houses and apartments and have been freely carrying out their criminal activities without serious checks by the leadership of the community.”
One of the youth leaders in Elepete, who pleaded anonymity, told The Nation that the community had taken the necessary measures to monitor visitors to the community as well as security forces stationed there, to curtail vandalism and militant activities.
“We have heard how the militant boys returned to Ogijo, and how they have engaged in vandalising pipelines and stealing petrol. However, following the violence carried out on this community last year during which several innocent residents were killed in cold blood, we have initiated security measures to prevent a reoccurrence.
“In Elepete, everyone is involved in vigilance activities. Visitors are closely monitored to know their destinations and hosts. We have also made the vigilance exercise an all-inclusive one by involving all landlords to watch their tenants closely.
“Although, the military authorities have been doing a wonderful job by changing troops deployed in our community at regular intervals, we are also closely monitoring the security forces stationed in our community to be sure that they do not compromise or aid unscrupulous persons to operate or carry out illegalities here.”
Several calls made to the mobile telephone number of the spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Chike Oti, were not answered. He also had not responded to a text message sent to him as at press time.
The spokesman for the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Gen. John Agim, said he was unaware of the development, adding that the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army was in charge of the operation at Ikorodu.
He said: “The 81 Division is in charge of that operation. I’ll contact the commanding officer on ground and the information officer there, and notify them about it. Let me know the exact areas where residents have alleged the regrouping of the criminals.”
Our correspondent also reached out to the 81 Division’s spokesman, Lt Col. Olaolu Dauda, who assured that the message would be relayed to the Commanding Officer for necessary action.
