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Fear grips Ogun over Badoo cult incursion

By Reporters
08 July 2017   |   4:35 am
Trepidation yesterday gripped residents and members of Lagos border communities within Ibafo and Mowe axis in Ogun State over alleged news of the incursion of the dreaded Badoo...

Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Dayo Adeneye, called for calm, stressing that the State is on top of the situation. PHOTO: 54artistry.com

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Trepidation yesterday gripped residents and members of Lagos border communities within Ibafo and Mowe axis in Ogun State over alleged news of the incursion of the dreaded Badoo cult group into the area.

The situation resulted in many top schools and businesses locking their gates and doors and, in some instances, turning back pupils, parents and customers who were ignorant of the news making the rounds in the areas.

The trepidation came a day after the Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosu held an emergency meeting with the security chiefs in the state over reports that the notorious Badoo cult group was planning to infiltrate Ogun State.

The fear was triggered by fliers going round the communities on Thursday night that the Badoo group and a rival cult are coming to Mowe on Friday 7/7/2017 to fight due to an alleged killing that happened around Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) area along Lagos /Ibadan Expressway recently.

In the flier, residents were advised to be security conscious and to relay the information to their loved ones especially in the evening within Mowe/ Ibafo axis.

The flier also alleged that the Badoo group have migrated to Ogun State due to the recent onslaught and the man-hunt for their members at their base in Ikorodu, Lagos.

A proprietor of a famous school within the axis, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the school authority took the decision to stop school yesterday and watch proceedings, in order to safe guard the lives of the children, as they cannot guarantee their security.

According to him, since the police cannot guarantee the security of many top schools in Lagos, how much more the schools in these axis, where there is little or no government presence.

He stressed that the recent abduction of six Senior Secondary School students of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, who are yet to be released after several weeks, is still fresh on their minds and they cannot afford to take chances.

The school administrator pleaded with the Ogun State Government to come out fast with a concrete strategy to stamp the cult groups out of the state and not to allow Ogun communities to become a safe-haven or breeding ground for cult groups.

Meanwhile, The Guardian noticed the heavy presence of police and security agents within Ibafo and Mowe axis yesterday, as gun-wielding policemen and other security apparatus patrolled the highway and the communities.

Reacting to the situation, Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Dayo Adeneye, called for calm, stressing that the State is on top of the situation.

He said the government has increased the presence of security agents in the state to forestall any threat to lives and property as the state government has always taken proactive measures to secure the lives and property of its people.

According to him, the State Government would not fold its arms and watch criminal elements under whatever guise unleash terror on them and would not want to encourage jungle justice.

Adeneye urged residents of the state to remain calm and go about their activities peacefully, without any apprehension, assuring that all security agencies were working hand-in-hand to ensure their safety at all times.

It will be recalled that Ogun State Government recently held an emergency meeting with the security chiefs in the state over reports that the notorious “Badoo cult group was planning to infiltrate the State.

The meeting, which chaired by the State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, had in attendance the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, security chiefs of the Army, Police, Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The SSG, who briefed newsmen after the meeting, warned the group and other criminal groups to steer clear of the state, saying proactive measures have been put in place to protect lives and property within the state.

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