Ogun in the throes of insecurity as kidnapping, cultism, farmer-herder clash threaten economic stability

I’m declaring cult activities here as an act of terrorism… I have sounded a note of warning time past, I am resounding a fresh note of warning to all cult members, to their parents, to their landlords and to their sponsors,” those were the words of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, when he declared war against cultism in the state.

“From today, we are considering cult members and other criminals as saboteurs to the economy of not just this council, this town, but this state. We will consider them as terrorists; I will deal with them as such.

“I have instructed our law enforcement agencies to smoke these people out; I have told the Commissioner of Police that he has no other job until every single member of this cult is found out.

“I am still trying to figure out what is the basis, motive and the reason behind these cultist activities in Ogun State, particularly, in Sagamu and Remoland.

“We will collaborate with our royal majesties and royal highnesses in our resolve to bring long-lasting peace to this local government.”While alluding to the state faced security challenge such as, farmers/herders clashes, robbery, ritual killings and other related criminal activities, which his administration has been able to surmount through the combined effort of Nigeria Army and other security personnel, he restated his government’s commitment to taking actions that would guarantee security of lives and property of the people in the state.

The Akarigbo of Remoland and Chairman, Ogun State Council of Obas, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, in his remarks, said people of diverse culture and religion have co-existed in the town for a long time, wondering why few elements in the society should disrupt the peace and progress the town had enjoyed in the past

“We cannot continue to accommodate violence in this town, it is unacceptable. What is happening now is not in our culture and it is not in our interest. We have co-existed as brothers and sisters for a long time. It is time for parents and guardians to talk to their sons and daughters. Together, we shall overcome these trying times.”

In the last two years, a series of attacks have left many residents in palpable fears, not only because of the number of lives lost, but the despicable manner they are happening.

Alhaji Garuba Inua, Seriki Hausawa of Sagamu while narrating an incident of a cult clash, disclosed that the clash was between rival cultists and not a case of inter ethnic skirmish, noting that both Hausa and Yoruba communities engage in cultism.

The Guardian gathered that despite government’s effort to stamp out crime in the state, insecurity has continued to thrive. This ugly situation has become a source of concern to both government and residents alike, as cultists, kidnappers, armed robbers, as well as ritual killers, have taken over.

However, the renewed attacks have brought to the fore, a need to rejig the entire security architecture of the state so as to protect the life and property of the people of the state.

Stakeholders have said there is need for government to invest more in security of the state for political stability and economic prosperity. They noted that a secured sate will witness boost in his economy and also protect lives and property of people.

While not cataloguing cult related attacks, reports show that there has been a prevalence in Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Sagamu, Ikenne and Odogbolu.

Some of the notable incidents include the January 2021 attack in Ijebu Ode and its environs, where 11 suspected members of the Eiye Confraternity were arrested for allegedly killing 25 persons within a month during supremacy battles between rival cults.

Three persons were also reportedly killed as cultists resume killings in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. It was gathered that the resumption of killings by the cultists was to mark one-year remembrance of a popular area boy, Tommy, in the Oluwo area of Abeokuta.

Tommy, a leader of the Eiye cult group, was killed on March 24, 2022, at the Panseke area of the metropolis.The killing of Tommy sparked controversies, as members of Aiye and Eiye confraternities took turns to kill one another across the state.

Moving to Sagamu, one of the incidents that touched so many was the fracas between Eiye and Aiye confraternities where a member of the State House of Assembly was implicated late last year.

It was learnt that the Sagamu attack was as a result of disagreement between the two rival cult groups on the proceeds from a sold landed property.
It was the quick response of the state government and the Nigeria Police Force, Ogun State Area Command, which led to the arrest of six people, including a serving member of Ogun State House of Assembly, Damilare Bello Muhammed, representing Sagamu Constituency.

Before the Commissioner of Police paraded the six suspects, the Department of State Services had said nobody would be spared in the investigation into the clashes in Sagamu area of the state.

A source close to the state security agency said some of the suspects questioned in connection with the mayhem had given useful information that would assist in unravelling the persons behind the attacks and their collaborators.

A resident of Sagamu, Mr. Ashimiyu Bamidele, noted that cult activities have affected business activities in the town and its environs, as traders are now thinking of relocating to safer and more secured towns for their business.

He pointed out that though the state government is trying to curtail the activities of the cult group, but there is need for concerted effort to rid the state of crime.

Another resident, a trader, Mrs Bolajoko Anike, wondered while business activities is just gathering momentum after years of downturn such as COVID-19 pandemic, Central Bank of Nigeria cash swap and fuel subsidy issue what people now face in the town and is renewed cultism and armed robbery attacks, which has really affected the town and the state’s economy. She said all hands must be on deck to free the state from crime.

For Mr. Idowu Falola, government’s effort in protecting the lives and property of its citizens is not being felt as the activities of criminal gang has been on the increase. He noted that since the state government introduced the Amotekun Corps years ago, their activities are only limited to the state capital.

“For more two years now, after the fanfare introduction of the Amotekun, in Oke Mosan, I hardly feel their activities in Sagamu, and the state generally. This underscores the fact that if they are working and combing the state, by now, the issue of insecurity, particularly, cultism and kidnapping would have been a thing of the past in our state,” he said.

Speaking on the issue, Special Adviser Information, Media and Strategy to the Governor, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, pointed out that incessant cultist attacks could be traced to the migration of hoodlums from Ikorodu.

Akinmade noted that the issue of hard drugs is also another factor that usually makes this set of people to disturb the peaceful co-existence that the state had enjoyed since the administration of Governor Abiodun who is determined to flush out criminal elements from the state.

He disclosed that though government had pronounced death penalty on anyone involved in cult activities in the state. Akinmade stressed that governor in his magnanimity will leave a window of opportunity for anyone who want to renounce cultism and embrace amnesty within the time frame that the government has put in place before that it become law

ASIDE from cult activities, kidnapping has also been on the rise, particularly in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Wasinmi, Lafenwa-Ayetoro-Imeko road, Ewekoro and by Kara long bridge end of Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

In 2021 alone, no fewer than 13 persons were kidnapped while 12 kidnappers were arrested in different areas of the state by the Ogun State Police Command.

Also, in 2022, several persons were kidnapped, including four policemen from Zone 2, Onikan area of Lagos State, who were in the state for an assignment. They were kidnapped along the Wasinmi road, in Ewekoro Council of Ogun State. They were accosted by men in military camouflage, who had pretended to be security agents on stop – and search duties .The three policemen were later released.

The findings revealed that Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ewekoro, Wasinmi and Lafenwa-Ayetoro-Imeko Afon road are becoming more dreadful to road users as a result of kidnappers’ activities in the state.

Millions of Naira have been paid as ransom to kidnappers, whose stock-in -trade is to pick up unsuspecting travelers. The state government’s death sentence on kidnapping in the state seems not to have deterred kidnapping activities.

On several occasions, foreign nationals working in construction sites and farms have been captured and released after the payment of ransom. Another issue traumatising the state is the incessant farmer-herder clash. One of such attacks was in February 2021 at the Oha Farm Settlement in Imeko Afon Council of the state.

No fewer than five persons were killed in a crisis that erupted between farmers and herdsmen in Idofa area of Imeko-Afon Council. It was gathered that the herdsmen and some Ohori farmers engaged themselves in a clash at Idofa village, leading to loss of lives and properties worth millions of naira and that the people of Aworo community in Yewa North Local Government area of the state, had chased the herdsmen from their village to Idofa in Imeko, killing three of them and their cows.

Aworo people were said to have accused the herders of destroying their farms and water sources through open grazing of cows; a practice the Ogun State government had banned, long ago.

One Dele Awoniyi was said to have been killed by suspected herders in the midnight after farmers in the settlement complained to the herders on how their cows had destroyed their farms and water meant for irrigation.

While another incident happened in January 2022 at Idofa Village between herdsmen and some Ohori farmers that claimed three lives and property worth millions of Naira were destroyed.

Many have said the Imeko Afon attack and reprisal attack is happening because of the migration of Fulani herdsmen from Oyo State and the closeness of the people to the porous border.

However, as the governor’s aide, Akinmade stated, the administration of Abiodun is deeply committed to fostering a peaceful and violence – free society with interest in providing special court and joint –cultism security task force with the necessary logistics and tools to support their operations effectively.