Only two died, Police insist By Daud Olatunji and Bose Adelaja Barely six days after some suspected militants killed 15 persons in Imushin community in Ogijo area of Ogun state, another 50 people were feared dead on Thursday night when militants swooped on the neighbouring communities in Elepete and Igbo Olomu, the borderline communities in Lagos/Ogun State. Saturday Vanguard reliably gathered that a large number of the victims were said to be landlords in the area, who were reported to be keeping security watch over the communities, due to incessant armed robbery attacks. A source who was a landlord but pleaded anonymity said his colleagues landlords made bonfires in strategic points with a view to checking incessant attacks by robbers. But, tragedy struck when the militants who were coming from where they had gone to perpetrate their illegal business, mistook the landlords for law enforcement agents and went on a shooting spree.
The source said that 30 dead bodies have been accounted for from various points, and that many residents have fled the communities for safety. Most residents who spoke with our correspondent lamented that the militants had threatened to attack the communities on reprisal attacks over the death of their colleagues few weeks ago. The residents have therefore blamed security operatives for alleged negligence resulting to loss of lives of residents and landlords. One for the residents who spoke with Saturday Vanguard said that only the Nigerian Army, the Navy and the Airforce could tackle the menace of these criminals.
“The militants came out from the creek and attacked the communities around 11p.m on Thursday night. We were outside keeping vigil over incessant armed robbery attacks. We had bonfires in some areas and the militants, having sighted the bonfires, opened fire on anyone on sight. “The whole communities have already been deserted. We need the presence of the Nigerian Army, Airforce and Navy to curtail the excesses of these militants,” he said. Another source told Saturday Vanguard that since the first attack which led to death of 15 persons in the communities, schools in the areas have been closed down while business activities were paralyzed. The source who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity said residents of the affected communities are fleeing their houses and that the whole areas were already deserted.
However, the Ogun State Police Command said only two people were killed by suspected militants who have been laying siege on the community. The command’s image maker, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, while speaking with our correspondent said only two people were killed by the militants. He said that the militants came from the creek to attack innocent residents and fled back. Adejobi, a Superintendent of Police, said the Police would try and fish out the criminals. “Two have been confirmed dead. The militants came again and attacked the community. They came yesterday and attacked and went back to the creeks. We will only continue to try,” he said.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/50-feared-killed-lagosogun-communities/
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By Bose Adelaja
Two communities in Lagos and Ogun states have been deserted following attacks by some suspected militants. The adjourning communities Elepete and Muti both in Igbo-Olomu, Ikorodu and Ita-Oluwo, Ifo local government of Ogun State have been deserted for days after about 18 of the residents were killed by the suspected militants. Scores of the residents have fled for safety for fear of attacks. Saturday Vanguard gathered that the attacks started last weekend at Muti where 15 people were feared dead but later degenerated and spread to Elepete and its environs claiming the lives of three people in the process. The suspected militants who are mostly Ijaws were said to have invaded the communities at about 4am through the creeks using sophisticated weapons. Worse hit areas were Elepete Phases 1 and 2, Kajola Phases A to F and Muti. It was gathered that shops, schools, churches and mosques were closed down during the attacks. The communities comprised of migrants from Majidun-Ikorodu and Arepo, Ikorodu and Ogun State who settled in the communities after they were dislodged by the Task force on Petroleum/vandalisation of pipelines. The Federal Government war against pipeline vandalisation was said to have checkmated some of the militants who then took to robbery, and other crimes to make ends meet.
They robbed one of the hotels located in Muti. The problem started when some militants robbed a hotel last Friday in a hotel in Elepete. Unfortunately for them, their faces were captured by CCTV cameras at the hotel while the hotelier intimated Special Anti-robbery Squad SARS operatives who commenced investigations. After a tip off, two of the suspects were traced to another hotel located in Kajola area of Elepete but they were said to have resisted arrest and made phone calls to their colleagues who mobilised and rushed to the scene. However, two of the suspects were killed while the hotelier was arrested. The militants then invaded Muti with sophisticated weapons in a reprisal attack killing 15 innocent residents. According to eye-witnesses, people were seen scampering for safety just as they took refuge in Elepete and neighbouring communities. A few days ago, the militants reinforced and launched another attack on Elepete.
Saturday Vanguard gathered that they first barricaded all entrances to the town to prevent movement and later unleashed terror on residents. Vehicles and properties were vandalised as they succeeded in looting shops, houses, mosques and churches carting away valuable items and cash. Saturday Vanguard also gathered that three of those who resisted the militants were killed while others were injured as scores of the residents fled the town for fear of the unknown. When Saturday Vanguard visited the communities, they were deserted. Vehicular and commercial activities were grounded and there was tension all over the areas. At the entrance of Oke-Ayo in Elepete, some youths were seen appealing to people to return to their homes. One of them Abdul Gafaru said the attacks have paralysed the communities. He said, “no community can exist without people, we are the indigenes of this town and all we want is peace. We cannot operate successfully unless people return to the homes.” The Olumushin of Imushin, Oba Taiwo Bamgbose, has since appealed for calm while both Lagos and Ogun Police Public Relations Officers Dolapo Badmus and Muyiwa Adejobi, respectively said they were on top of the situation. A survivor of the attacks who is a Policeman, haven spoken to Saturday Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said that he escaped death by whiskers.
He said, “I narrowly escaped death in the hands of the militants who seized somebody elsewhere and slaughtered him behind my house. In the process, the blood splashed and stained the wall of my house. On sighting the blood, people thought I have been murdered and started calling me.” Also, one of the residents, Madam Rabiu Amina who spoke with Saturday Vanguard said she narrowly escaped the attacks, “I had leg pains and was indoor for days with my grand daughter. I never knew my community had been deserted until Tuesday when I got a call from my younger sister who lives in PortHacourt. She said she read it in newspapers and decided to know my whereabout and that was when I opened the door only to discover there’s nobody in the community. I managed to trek a long distance before a motorcyclist helped me.” At Ola Imam bus-stop, only two commercial motorcyclists were available but they complained of low patronage since people have fled the communities. Saturday Vanguard succeeded in getting the telephone numbers of some of those who fled. Some Kajola residents blamed Ogun State government for not answering their distress calls. According to them, Ogun State government has been insensitive to their plight since the invasion of the militants. A resident who pleaded anonymity said only Lagos government has shown concern.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/militants-sack-lagos-ogun-communities-scores-feared-dead/
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