For residents of Alabeko Estate in Ajah, Lagos, Saturday, June 20, would not be forgotten in a hurry.
It was a day they witnessed gross injustice from members of the Odua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), under the supervision of personnel of the Nigeria Police.
The unprovoked attack, which led to three persons sustaining injuries and several properties damaged, was said to have started after a party in a land dispute allegedly recruited the attackers to unlawfully dispossess them of their lands.
Among those injured were former General Secretary of the estate, Rotimi Ojo, one Olaseni Obafemi and Alfa Ishiaka Kelani, who were either stabbed by the thugs or hit with shovels.
While the OPC thugs used bottles and guns to threaten the residents, police men attached to MOPOL 23, it was learnt, deployed horse whips and teargas on the innocent people.
Narrating their ordeals, the residents’ association chairman, Uba Offorbuike said they have not known peace since Orimisan started encroaching on their lands.
He said: “We have not known peace in this estate since Rotimi Orimisan resorted to brigandage to grab a larger chunk of land from our estate.
“We met with the Omonile from whom we bought our land; they told us that they did not sell any land to Rotimi Orimisan (the prospector). After the meeting the land owners, we were still within the estate when the OPC thugs attacked us with cutlasses, broken bottles and other offensive weapons.
“I was shocked when the Police who are supposed to play neutral role joined them to attack us using spraying tear gas on us.
“As law abiding citizens of this country, we are disappointed in the Nigerian Police because they have failed to defend the defenceless and armless people.
“They have constantly harassed residents despite petition sent to the Commissioner of Police, and the (Assistant Inspector General of Police) AIG Zone 2, for protection against the vagaries and insipid attacks from the OPC and mobile policemen from MOPOL 23,” said Ubah.
Another resident, Solomon Sunday, trouble started about three weeks ago after one Rotimi Orimisan started laying claims to lands belonging to about five different families.
He said Orimisan, who acquired land from the Owoje family, suddenly surfaced with a survey plan dated August 20, last year, indicating that he owns 40.87 hectares.
Sunday alleged that Orimisan with the said survey plan, had encroached on the land belonging to about five other families with existing structures, and was still extending his grip on other residents’ properties, forcing the people to leave their homes.
“The man just came from nowhere and brought a survey plan which was done last year. He started laying claims to non – existent 40.87 hectares of land.
“He owns land but not in out estate. He bought his land from the Owoje family, whereas, the lands he is now laying claims to belong to the Akapo, Adejobi, Ogunlana and two other families. When he started making trouble three weeks ago, the estate residents went to the Omoniles and they said they never sold their land to him.
“He was invited for a meeting with the Omoniles on several occasions but he refused to come. And so, on Saturday, the residents and the Omoniles had a meeting on how to stop him from the illegal encroachment into their properties.
“It was after the meeting, around 12:30pm that the OPC men with about eight policemen from MOPOL 23, Obalende, started attacking us.
“These policemen have been staying inside a wooden structure (church) which Orimisan built on his land. Before we knew it, OPC thugs started chasing people away.
“They were flogging even women. They were shooting sporadically and broke bottles which they used to stab man people. It was in that process that Rotimi Ojo was severely stabbed on his right hand while they used shovel to hit his head.
“He was rushed to Doren Specialist Hospital in Ajiwe, Ajah and is still on admission there. About N400, 000 has been spent already for his emergency surgery and drugs because the doctor said his tendon and ligaments were damaged.
“What is even more painful is the fact that the police that is supposed to enforce the law not only supervised the unlawful attack, but also complemented the thugs.
“They sprayed teargas on us. My wife was severely teargassed and even slapped by the policemen.
“They also used horse whips to brutalise us. Even the Omoniles who are old men were not spared. Most of them wore Police T-shirts and so we could not see their names,” said Sunday.
Not done with the attacks on the residents, the marauding thugs, it was learnt descended on an eight-room bungalow belonging to Kelani, destroying the window glasses.
“Even Kelani’s wife, a visually impaired woman, was treated to several slaps because she questioned their action.
“They beat and chased people into the bush, as they proceeding with the demolition of people’s homes or fencing, with the police supporting them.”
Although the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ogombo division, Omolabi Oviebo had visited the area after a complaint was made to him and warned the mobile policemen to avoid threatening or harassing people, the officers have never kept to his directives.
The Nation gathered that Oviebo was visibly angry at the action of the policemen, and scolded them for being partisan rather than being peacemakers.
Meanwhile, Kelani was said to have fled his home prior to the attack on Saturday for fear of being killed.
His fear, it was learnt was borne out of allegations that the thugs have penciled him and two others (Abiodun Abbe and Wale Adebayo) for assassination.
However, Orimisan could not be reached for comment as a call to his phone number (08029301185) was answered by someone who said it was a ‘wrong number’.
When contacted, the state Police command spokesman, DSP Ken Nwosu promised to get back to the reporter after speaking with the Commander, MOPOL 23. But as at the time of filing this reporter, he hasn’t replied.
