War on vandals, militants rages on

• Acting Inspector General of Police orders demolition of houses in creeks
• Ground forces storm Ikorodu, Arepo

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, yesterday visited Isawo creeks in the Ikorodu neighbourhood of Lagos State, where suspected vandals and militants recently unleashed terror on residents.

Ibrahim was conducted round the areas by Lt.-Col. Julius Ogbobe, the commander of the military operation in the area.

After assessing the security situation in the area, Ibrahim ordered the demolition of houses used by the pipeline vandals to siphon the nation’s petroleum products.

He further said all buildings close to the creeks should be pulled down, stressing that the affected buildings had compromised the security of the area.
 
Police and military personnel carrying out special operations in Ishawo and Igbolomu communities had discovered some buildings used to siphon fuel.
  
So far, 11 suspected petroleum pipeline vandals have been arrested. Two locally-made guns, two generating sets, eight Dane guns, 32 live ammunition, two laptops, a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) magazine, AK 47 rifle, 18 cutlasses, police badges and voters cards were recovered from the houses.
 
The IGP said with the recovery, the police would be able to trace the suspects as the account numbers of the depository and the banks used were known.
 
The police boss said he came to Ikorodu to assure residents of the volatile Ishawo and Arepo community of police’s commitment at providing adequate security in the areas.
  
He pleaded with fleeing residents in Arepo and Ikorodu to come back home as security agencies were on the ground to provide adequate security in the areas.

He also charged residents to cooperate with the operatives by providing them with information on the activities of criminal elements within their vicinity.

He, however, praised the military exercise that was carried out jointly with the police in curbing the activities of the militants within the area.

The commanding officer of the military tactical base, Lieutenant Colonel Julius Ogbobe, explained to the IGP the sketch of the locations of the enemies and how they carried out the operations.
 
The soldiers said they could not access the creeks, and called on the state government to assist them to build an access road to make it accessible.
 
He said the state government should assist in bringing cutting machines to clear the creeks.