Tension In Lagos Over Fresh Attack
Tension In Lagos Over Fresh Serious Attack
Peace has taken a flight at Isheri-Oke community in Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Lagos State, following its invasion by some alleged land grabbers and thugs on Tuesday. For several hours, the community was in total chaos as the invaders unleashed terror.
The ugly situation has prompted the Baale of Isheri-Oke, Chief Albert Bankole, to appeal to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, to provide security for the over 500 years old community.
Bankole said the appeal became necessary following the feelers received that some unscrupulous elements were planning to attack his community after an earlier attack foiled by the police last Tuesday.
Bankole, who has ruled the ancient town for more than 40 years, said: “We are a peace-loving community. In the history of this community, we have never experienced any communal fracas.
“Even during the infamous ENDSARS protests, our community never participated as we remained calm.
“We, therefore, use this medium to appeal to the IGP to please provide us protection against intruders planning to unleash mayhem on our town.”
The Baale explained that the invasion was not unconnected with a purported judgement some people claimed had bestowed the ownership of the community land on them and therefore want to enforce.
Bankole said: “To the best of my knowledge, we as a community or council of chiefs have never been served any notice for any kind of litigation.
“We are therefore surprised that some people came claiming they have a judgment against us in respect of our land.
“I have been on this throne as Baale for over 40 years and we have never had any court case with anybody.
“So their purported judgement is very curious because we are not aware of anything like that.”
In a similar vein, the Secretary, Isheri-Oke CDA, Babatunde Ogunyemi, revealed that the attack on the community had left them in shock. According to him, the appeal made to the IGP was meant to ensure that there is no break down of law and order in the event that the planned attack is carried out.
Ogunyemi praised the community’s youths for maintaining a high level of discipline in the face of open confrontation.
He said: “The calmness of our people during the invasion of our community last Tuesday is a sign of how peaceful we are as a people.
“It is in this spirit that we are calling on the IGP to please ensure our community is well protected.
“We are not cowards, but we will rather embrace peace than violence.”
Narrating the ordeal of last Tuesday, the Community Secretary, Taiwo Ogundele, disclosed that on Monday night, information reached the traditional chiefs that a certain person, who was not resident in the community and is not an indigene but wanted to be a traditional ruler in the area, was planning an attack.
He said the elders immediately went to the community police station to lodge a report all in a bid to avoid violence. The incident, he said, led to panic as businesses closed to avoid damages or attacks.
Recall that on Tuesday, banks and some shops were shut following the invasion of the community.
The invaders, after writing and pasting some orders on walls of residential and commercial buildings, including banks, tried to enforce their claimed order in other areas comprising Olowoira and Magodo.
