…police read riot act, assures protection
By Our Reporters
A spontaneous response to letters of threats from a group of criminals who tagged themselves “1 Million Boys” was witnessed across neighbourhoods in Oshodi, Isolo and Ejigbo council areas all through last week as landlords and tenants turned out en-masse to watch the night.
This made the youths and the landlords kept vigil through the nights and days, burning tyres and armed with various weapons such as cutlass, cudgels, bottles and others to fight back and not to be taken unaware by the hoodlums who might invade the communities at any time of the day as the hoodlums had earlier resorted to daylight robbery of households.
In some streets such as Ona-Iwa Mimo in Ejigbo, the residents had to buy fuel on their own to power the street lights to illuminate the community as a security measure through the night.
Some of the community leaders in Oshodi-Isolo told ECHONEWS that they had to resort to such self-created community policing to complement the effort of the Nigeria Police who they taught might not be able to overcome the hoodlums.
The Chairman, Omiyale End CDA, Chief Bashorun Oguntomole, said: “We used the vigilante to scare away the hoodlums from our community.
The Chairman, Kila Area CDA, Mr. Taiwo Owolabi, said: “We had to form our own security because the whole community was tensed up with the hoodlums terrorizing the people, then the youths had to go out and start keeping vigil to safeguard the environment.”
The Secretary, Oboye-Pipeline CDA, Comrade Nasir said the action was to curb the heinous activities of the hoodlums in their community.
“There was voluntary vigilante led by the CDA chairman, the excos and other members of the community to curb the crime in the community,” said chairman of Ogunseye Ifelodun CDA, Mr. Sodiq Olusoga.
“Some hoodlums came during the week to Salako Street and even my compound shouting that we should come out, that we had bags of rice at home while they had nothing to eat. We made a distress call to the police officers and when they came they couldn’t find anyone of them, they had run away.
“Since then, we’ve stationed guys out to watch over the community. But I was informed that the DPO cautioned them against burning tyres and that they shouldn’t go beyond their street.
The police are doing well. They are cooperating so well. Last night, we had a joint surveillance over the community,” said Assistant General Secretary, Isolo CDC and Chairman, Ogo Oluwakita CDA, Hon. Mukaila Atilola.
Also commenting on the issue, the General Secretary of Canal Estate Residents Association, Akpan Kingsley said: “We were at the vanguard in coordinating the activities of volunteers within my Estate and all the adjourning streets.
“We were equally receiving the desired cooperation from our DPO, SP Ladi Tarpaya of Ago-Okota Police Division. She took her time to explain the best ways to manage the situation since most of the volunteers were inexperienced.”
The clamour for protection topped discussion at the Lagos State security council meeting On Tuesday where strategies to combat the threat were discussed and implementation worked out.
The Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu backed by the armed forces and paramitary formations were asked to crush the insurgents and boost public confidence in the capacity of the government to maintain law and order.
Following the mandate, CP Odumosu led a convoy of police and military officers through densely populated neighbourhoods such as Itire, Oshodi Ikotun to address residents that the government has deployed machinery to counter the threats.
At Ikotun, CP Odumosu enlightened the residents that the criminals wanted to exploit the stay at home order to strike fear into the mind of people adding that the security agencies were working round the clock to thwart their threats.
He appealed to residents to stop burning tyres because of the threat posed to the health of the elderly and infants inhaling the dangerous chemicals burnt.
Echonews learnt that the police authorities followed up with meetings with community development committees at area commands.
One such meeting held at Mushin on Friday April 17 where officers of the CDCs were asked to sign documents to assure the authorities that would enforce the directive against burning if tyres and carrying of machetes and other weapins in their communities.
First, the CDAs would be held responsible if the youths or any other persons or group burn tyre in the community as he made them understand that the dust from the burnt tyre could affect the health of especially the young ones in the community.
The police also warned against carrying weapons in the community, warning that during police raiding of the community, any youth caught with weapons would be arrested as they might not be differentiated from the hoodlums.
According to him, the youths who presented themselves as vigilante caused more panic to the people in the community with the way they used their cutlasses and made noises to disturb the peace in the community.
“We don’t need them, we have police everywhere and Lagos is safe. Whatever fear in the community about the ‘one million boys’ should be discarded as everything is under control. The way the community is handling it is not applicable anywhere. As you allowed untrained youths to guard your community with weapons, they can turn to move against the people at any time.
“We have normal collaboration with the community leaders. If any community will form vigilante, the due process should be followed as they must be trained before doing the job.
“So, if the communities will watch their area, they must not carry cutlass but can be vigilant to their communities to alert the police of anyone suspect.”
Also speaking to ECHONEWS on the issue, the Chairman of Community Development Committee (CDC), Oshodi-Isolo LG, Alhaji Adisa Olawoyin said the community leaders had met with the police force to guide them on what to do and what not to do concerning the vigilante groups formed in the various streets to guard them against the hoodlums.
His words: “The Commissioner of Police met with us, the community leaders at Under Bridge Oshodi. He told us that the police was aware of the groups called one million boys fermenting trouble in the community and that the police were ready to control the situation.
“The CP advised that the community leaders should open the street gates during the day for easy access and at night they should be locked back. He also warned the youths to desist from playing football on the streets but to stay safe at home.”