Palpable tension has enveloped the Ijegun area of Lagos State following a vicious attack on a lecturer with Anchor University, Mr. Taofeek Dalamu, by hoodlums suspected to be members of a prominent Islamic group.
The incident, which occurred yesterday evening at a construction site in the community, has raised fresh concerns regarding religious intolerance and land disputes within the metropolis.
The Nation on Sunday gathered that the victim had visited the site to inspect an ongoing project when he was ambushed by the assailants. Preliminary investigations revealed that the assault is connected to a lingering feud sparked by Mr. Dalamu’s decision to donate a parcel of land to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) for the construction of a worship centre.
A family source, who craved anonymity due to fear of reprisals, disclosed to our correspondent that the crisis dates back to early October when the donation was formalized. According to the source, an Islamic organization developing an adjoining property for a school had vehemently opposed the siting of a church in the vicinity.
“Trouble started immediately after the land was handed over to the church,” the source stated. “The group developing the Islamic school next door began issuing repeated death threats to Mr. Dalamu, warning him against establishing a church in the area.
“Some of the threats explicitly berated him for allegedly betraying the Islamic faith, citing his conversion to Christianity from Islam. They accused him of mocking Islam by using a Christian project to truncate Islamic development in the area. We never imagined it would escalate to a physical ambush in broad daylight. It is shocking that such lawlessness can go unchecked in a sanity clime.”
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Reacting to the development, the Pastor-in-Charge of the RCCG Overcomers Assembly Parish, Pastor Joseph Adeyokunnu, condemned the dastardly act and expressed profound disappointment over the handling of the matter by security operatives.
Pastor Adeyokunnu accused the police of lethargy, alleging that prior petitions regarding the threats to Mr. Dalamu’s life had been treated with kid gloves.
“This issue has been brewing for weeks,” the cleric lamented. “We have raised alarms, but the authorities have done little or nothing to defuse the tension. It appears there is a bias on the part of law enforcement, as they often seem reluctant to act when these religious groups are involved.”
The attack has sparked outrage within the community, with religious and community leaders calling for immediate dialogue to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that there was an incident in the area.
Hundeyin, however, stated that he had not yet been fully briefed on the specific details of the clash or the identities of the victims. He promised to provide an update once the investigations are concluded.
As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement regarding the arrest of any perpetrators.