Ikorodu attacks: Government deploys Army, policemen to restore peace

Residents Desert Home

Following the spate of attacks, the Lagos State Police Command and the 81 Division, Nigerian Army, have deployed over 1,000 security personnel to restore peace in troubled Igbolomu, Ikorodu, where a suspected militant group is feared to have killed over a dozen residents at weekend. The community remained deserted yesterday, despite the presence of security operatives, as residents, who fled their homes are yet to return.

Army spokesman in Lagos, Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley Samuel, told The Guardian on telephone that the Army has cordoned off the area and restored peace.

He said men of the OP Messa have increased and more personnel are on the ground to avert any reoccurrence, adding, “peace has returned and our officers are there. There is no issue anymore. Our patrol team has been reinforced.”

Also, a source at the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) said the situation has been brought under control by a detachment from the Lagos and Ogun State Police Command.

The source said: “The Commissioner of Police has ordered deployment of more men to the place as at 12 noon yesterday. As I speak, there are thousands of policemen from the Mobile Police Squadron, the RRS, Ikorodu Divisions, Area Commands and military personnel there. Residents are no longer deserting the area because we are all there to secure them.”

Spokesman for Ogun State police command told The Guardian yesterday that only two persons were confirmed killed during the rampage by the suspected militants, adding that the command has reinforced security in the area in the interest of residents.

However, a resident who pleaded anonymity informed The Guardian at about 4.30pm yesterday that the place was still a death zone.

He declared: “The militants do not come out in the afternoon. They would wait for everyone to go to bed and by 11.30pm, they would come out and slaughter anyone they see. Residents are still leaving the community as I speak. These killers are pipeline vandals whose illicit business has been ruined due to government checks. “The residents are paying for what they did not cause. We need more presence of security personnel and they should not just come and go, they should stay with us because these boys would still come back.”

According to residents, at least 20 persons were feared killed and scores injured when suspected pipeline vandals raided Igbolomu, a boarder community between Lagos and Ogun State.