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Isawo residents bemoan police absence
By OKOSUN DENNIS
Three weeks after suspected militants killed four policemen, an army captain and two civilians at Isawo community in Ikorodu, some residents are complaining of absence of police patrol in the area.
Some residents who spoke with National Daily say they are not happy that few weeks after promises were made to them by the police authorities of robust police presences, they are not seeing anything.
They expressed fear that if security patrol is not intensified, the militants might cash on such loophole to launch another debilitating attack anytime soon.
However, the General Commander of Odua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Mr Adebola Kajubo, disagrees with the allegation that police are not patrolling the area. He said that some policemen, especially the anti-kidnapping squad are still patrolling the community.
He explained that the reason why some people are complaining of not seeing police presence was because the security men have devised various strategies and are resorting to decoy as they do not trust anybody with information.
He claimed that some residents could divulge information to the criminals, a situation that led to last attack.
Kajubo said, “The policemen are still patrolling. We do not trust some of residents. Some reveal sensitive information to the militants; that was why we had such killings last time.
“We are working with the police clandestinely. We believe that what happened before was based on some residents revealing sensitive information to the criminals. They are being careful to avoid mistakes of the past.”
Kajubo castigated the Care Taker Chairman, Ikorodu West Local Government for paying lip service to what is happening in their domain.
He expressed sadness that since the attack on the 9th April, 2017, the Chairman has not seen the need to visit the area or assist the OPC with patrol vehicle or motorcycles to enable them patrol the nooks and crannies of the community.
“He sits in his office; collecting security vote from the Governor and doing nothing with it. They don’t care how we fuel our motorbike to patrol the area. If not that we had bikes which we bought and fuel ourselves, we wouldn’t have been able to rescue some policemen during the attack, Kajubo lamented to National Daily.
However, the younger brother to one of the civilians that was killed (Osaze Omorogbe) when the militants attacked the village; James Omorogbe solicited for Lagos state government’s intervention in the plight of the family.
National Daily gathered that since Osaze was killed and burnt beyond recognition, no government representative has visited the family or ask of how the children were coping without their father. It was also gathered that nobody in government has made mention of the assistance rendered by the civilians that led to their death.
Bemoaning lack of security, James said, “We don’t have security here. No police patrol. I want the Lagos State Government to help the family. My brother’s children are both in Primary and Secondary schools; one of them is writing WAEC. I want both government and concerned individual’s intervention.
“My brother was a landlord and was called out to assist in security during the attack. He came out with others and assisted to rescue some of the kidnapped victims. Unfortunately, he was killed and burnt with some policemen. Government should not abandon the family,” James appealed.
He added that they had to bury their brother since they could not keep the burnt corpse longer than necessary. “He got burnt and could not keep the corpse. Nobody is mentioning about it and the family is left to shoulder the brunt,” he lamented.
He continued, “We used to hear gunshot at night but since the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni came and went into the creeks and some of them arrested, the place has calmed down. We have vigilante and OPC that are on ground but no presences of government security,” he concluded.
Attempt to get police perspective on the allegation failed as calls made and text message sent to the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole were not responded to as at press time.
Also, a text message sent to the Police Public Relations Officer in charge of Zone 2 Police Command, Superintendent Dolapo Badmus was also not responded to.
Militant had launched a ferocious attack on Isawo community on the 9th April after they had succeeded in abducting some residents in the area.
However, soon after the abduction, men of the Nigerian Police Force and the military succeeded in rescuing nine victims but were ambushed and killed an Army Captain, four policemen and two civilians. Among whom was Osaze Omorogbe from Edo state.
As a result of the incidence of militants attack, the community appealed to relevant authorities to establish a military barracks in the area, saying that they are confident that with such barracks and robust police patrol, they would be saved from the vagaries of militant attacks.
They had made the appeal when the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2, AIG Adamu Ibrahim visited the community on the 11th April 2017 for spot assessment, and to convey the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris’ message of sympathy to the community.