Agege Crisis: Court Remands Four Suspects
Kehinde Adeleye
On April 2nd, 2024, four individuals were sent to Kirikiri prisons by a magistrate court in Lagos State due to their involvement in mob action and threatening the life of a citizen.
Echonews reports that the incident stemmed from a dispute over the management of the Arewa Community Central Mosque, also known as Mosalashi Alaja, in Agege.
Alhaji Muhammad Hadi Bala, recognized as the head of a steering committee supported by the Lagos State government, was targeted in the altercation.
Tensions escalated when a renovation project led by the steering committee faced opposition from another group reportedly supported by the palace of the Seriki Hausawa of Agege.
Various government agencies in Lagos State intervened to maintain peace and order in the situation, as the conflict had been ongoing for some time.
Four individuals, including the son of Seriki Hausawa of Agege, Musa Shu’aibu DogonKadai, Salihu Abdullahi Sallama, an aide of the Seriki, and palace guard Garba Dogari, were recently remanded following a skirmish that took place on April 1st, 2024.
The incident occurred after a meeting regarding plans for Ramadan and Iftar packages, where the committee chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Hadi Bala, was attacked by a mob led by the Seriki’s son, also known as Bala, and Salihu, the Seriki’s aide, as he tried to drive away in his car.
The mob, including Bala and other palace agents, violently charged towards Alhaji Muhammad Hadi Bala in an attempt to forcibly remove him from his vehicle.
He narrowly escaped and reported the incident to the Nigeria Police at the area G command headquarters in Ogba, leading to the prosecution of the mob leaders in court according to the law.
It is worth mentioning that Tuesday’s violent attack on the chairman of the Mosalashi Alaja steering committee was the second recorded incident.
On the 22nd of May, 2022, Bala, along with Salihu and their group, attempted to take the life of Alhaji Muhammed Hadi Bala in a similar manner.
The traumatic event had a significant impact on Alhaji Muhammed Hadi Bala’s health and daily functioning, leading to frequent visits to hospitals in Nigeria and abroad.
Recently, he returned from India after undergoing health examinations, which his doctors attributed to the shock and trauma from the previous attack orchestrated by the same group determined to harm him.
A quick examination of the attackers’ underlying reason for their illegal actions points to their discontent with the poor and irresponsible management of the organization by individuals appointed by the Seriki Hausawa of Agege, Muhammadu Musa DogonKadai.
Consequently, members of the Arewa Community have been calling for a change in leadership to promote better stewardship.
The mismanagement by the committee appointed by the Sarki of Agege included renting out shabby shelters to questionable individuals near the Mosque, setting up a commercialized toilet and bathroom without proper planning, approval, or transparency.
These actions were seen as contradictory to the urban planning and environmental guidelines of Lagos State.
Efforts were made to address the issues, including a reconciliatory meeting in September 2020 led by representatives of the Lagos State government, the community, inter-religious committee, and Ministry of Home Affairs.
Alhaji Muhammed Hadi Bala, chairman of the Arewa Community Central Mosque in Agege, Lagos, is determined to uphold his rights and seek justice for attempts on his life and livelihood.
He vows to use all lawful means to correct the situation and will pursue legal action as per Nigeria’s constitution.
