Kunle Adelabu
The Lagos Police Commissioner, CP Hakeem Odumosu, on Friday, October 9, 2020, visited the troubled Isawo area of Ikorodu Division, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria to broker peace between the feuding Yoruba and Hausa communities.
THE IMPACT gathered that youths from both sides had been engaging in violent attacks since Monday, October 5, 2020, which led to the destruction of properties worth several millions of naira while many young men were also badly injured.
Lagos Police Chief brokered between the two parties at a town hall meeting held at Isawo town hall in Ikorodu West LCDA.
CP Odumosu, who visited the troubled area, appealed to the warring factions to sheathe their swords and embrace peace.
“We decided to come here instead of asking the leaders of both groups to come and meet us at our headquarters in Ikeja, out of respect that we have for you” , the CP said.
“We are here on the directive of the Governor to know what happened.
“Thank you for the maturity displayed since when the issue started and ended without lost of any life. That is the most important thing because once a life is lost, there is nothing that we can do.
“Even though no life was lost, we have lost energy and money. Once there is no peace, nobody can do any business and once you don’t do business, there is no how money can come in”.
He charged them to embrace one another because the Constitution of the country guarantees safety for all Nigerians anywhere they are.
“My mission here is just to appeal to everybody so that we can live together as one. The Nigeria constitution guarantees freedom of movement, life, properties in any part of Nigeria”, CP Odumosu stated.
“Most of us had lived in other parts of the country, in fact, I came here from Abuja. I was in Nasarawa during the last elections. I was also in Kano and I started my University education in Ahmad Bello University, Zaria. I was in Makurdi during the herdsmen crisis.
“If I had been attacked, I would not be here today? That is why I appreciate the maturity in handling the crisis”, he said.
The Lagos Police Chief also assured every Lagosian that the government of the state and federation do not in any way discriminate against any citizen and that the police are ready to protect everybody.
“I want to assure you that there is no discrimination by the government in Lagos and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our duty is to serve everybody.
“God has created everybody to live together and we must live together. If we start investigating, you will see some Yorubas that have married to Hausas and vice versa and it is not possible to cut their children into two when there is a crisis. It’s not possible.
“That’s why we must leave together in peace”.
As a measure to forestall future crises, CP Odumosu urged the Council authority to establish a Consultative Forum that would include stakeholders from different groups in the community so as to be able to manage situations.
“My advice is that the council should constitute an inter consultative meeting if it is not in existence so that you will know who to call on immediately when any issue occur”, Odumosu suggested.
“I want to implore the Council Chairman to put that in place in case there is any misunderstanding among our children because I know that the crisis is between our children and not the elders.
“I am sure that there is no problem at the leadership and elders level of both communities but among the younger ones. I need you to engage and appeal to them and let them know that we are looking up to them as leaders of tomorrow.
“So whenever any problem is ensuing, you should always call the chairman and his lieutenants in the council. The DPO is also available through call or text. That is how to nip any problem in the bud.
“I need assurances from the two parties that they have agreed to live peacefully and prove that our coming here today is not a waste of time.
“And the only way to show that is by maintaining peace and ensuring that we do not receive any report of fighting again”, he charged the warring youths”.
He also enjoined those blocking roads to desist from creating a situation that hoodlums could hijack to perpetrate evil acts.
“I also want to appeal to those blocking and burning tyres and other things on the road to desist from that. Any good intention that is not channelled in the right way, be assured that those with bad intentions will hijack it to carry out their own bad act”, he warned.
“Instead of creating an avenue for criminal – minded people to carry out evil acts, call yourselves together to resolve issues. This is our mission here.
“We are not here to arrest anybody and put them inside a cell because nothing is going to benefit anybody from that”.
While appealing to those whose properties were destroyed in the crisis, CP Odumosu also asked them to submit the list of their loss through the Chairman of the lkorodu West LCDA and DPO, Owutu.
“Those whose properties have been damaged or lost in the crisis should collate them and submit them (to my office) through the Council Chairman and the DPO. If there is anything that can be done, we will assist”, he said.
He also appealed that both parties should allow those that were target in the crisis that had fled the community to return back to their various homes.
The Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, Hon. Jumoke Jimbo – Ademehin, speaking at the town hall meeting, commended the DPO of Owutu Police Station for the way he and his men handled the crisis and ensured that no life was lost.
“We thank God that no life was lost during the fight. It was a minor issue that caused the problem between the Yorubas and Arewa group.
“I want to appreciate the DPO fort being on ground and adequately calm the situation and also for deeming it fit to call both groups for a town hall meeting which is the reason we are all here today”.
Hon. Ademehin, speaking in an interview after the meeting, appreciated the Police Commissioner for his quick response and the way the matter was resolved.
She charged residents to go back to their normal lives and resume their socio – economic activities.
Meanwhile, Sources who spoke with THE IMPACT said that the attack which started on October 5 was just the immediate cause, but that the crisis has been lingering for a while.
The source also said that all that were presented at the town hall meeting are not the real issue that actually triggered the crisis, and added that it was in – fighting among the Axe confraternity in Isawo that caused the crisis.
He further stated that the Yoruba boys that are involved in the cult activities felt that an Hausa boy who was initiated into the cult group has grown wing and no longer listens to their orders and as a result, they decided to cut his wing.
Another source said that the cause of the fight was due to the failure of some hoodlums, who are mainly Yorubas, to pay for the goods that they bought from an Hausa man.
According to the source, the crisis was triggered when the Hausa man mobilized his tribesmen to resist what he termed as incessant action.
In the same vein, we also gathered from other sources that the refusal of young Yoruba commercial motorcycle riders to pay for tickets issued by the Hausa leaders that caused the crisis which almost engulfed the community.
Some residents were also of the view that the excesses of the Hausa boys, especially those engaging in commercial motorcycle (Okada) and Scrap (Bola) picking businesses that have been terrorising the community, were responsible for the crisis.
Although, representatives from both sides presented their sides of the story at the town hall meeting chaired by the Police Commissioner, but none of them alluded to any of these factors given by these sources, except accusations and counter accusations against each other regarding who was responsible for the crisis.
The area mostly affected by the crisis is the Kassim Imam Street which we gathered is a notorious area in Igbo – Olomu, Isawo. Many shops in the area were still under lock and key when our reporter accompanied the team consisting of the DPOs from Ikorodu Division Headquarters, Mr A. Balogun , CSP Margret Okonkwo and the Ikorodu West LCDA Chairman, Hon. Jumoke Ademehin on a visit on Friday, October 9, 2020.
During the visit, our reporter saw shops that were set ablaze in the area while the ground was still littered with broken bottles.
It was also gathered that a woman who is operating a beer parlour on Kassim Imam Street was mostly affected as her shop was looted and set ablazed during the attack.
Other affected areas are Baale and Shittu Streets which were still littered with chars of burnt tyres.
The team also visited the hospital where an Hausa man that was badly injured by his assailants during the crisis was hospitalized. He was released to the DPO and the Council Chairman.
Also on that Friday, members of the joint operations of the Nigerian Police in Owutu and LNSC also recovered two Hausa boys who went into hiding during the attack.
Others at the town hall meeting were Chief Samuel Olomu, the head of Igbo Olomu family, Elder S. O Oyeniran, President, Igbo Olomu Community, Engr. Adeleke Hakeem, Youth Chairman and Mr Abiodun Sunday, the CDC Secretary, Ikorodu .
Among members of the Arewa community at the meeting were Alhaji Shittu Idris, Seriki of Arewa in Ikorodu Division, Alhaji M. D. Hassan, representative of Arewa, Lagos East Senatorial District and Mallam Aminu, Chief Imam, as well as Seriki (Hausa Leader) in lgbo Olomu in Ikorodu West LCDA.
The representatives of the lkorodu West LCDA at the meeting were Hon. Sesan Dada, Vice Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, Hon. Wasiu Olomu, Leader of the Council and the Secretary to the Ikorodu West LCDA among others.
Among the officers in the entourage of the Lagos Police Commissioner to the meeting were Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), DCP Mohammed Alli , 2Ic, Rapid Response Squad, ACP Wale Ajayi and the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olayinka Adejobi among others.
