Kunle Adelabu
-Economic activities resume as security group arrest two notorious cultists
-Onyabo not getting necessary support, Onyabo leader alleges.
-We are planning joint taskforce to deal with cultism menace – Ikorodu LG Chairman
There was no love lost between the Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, Hon. Wasiu Adesina, and the Deputy Commander of the Onyabo Vigilance Group, Akogun Lanre Olabinjo, as both have exchanged words on the security situation in Ikorodu, which has been worsened by the reckless killings by cultists in the last few weeks.
The vigilance group alleged that the Ikorodu local government has not been supportive of its people who are constantly on the firing line to make the town secured, while it also laid the blame over the volatile security situation in Ikorodu on the doorstep of the council chairman whom it alleged of neglecting the group.
Hon. Adeshina, reacting to the allegations, claimed that he has been of immense support to the vigilance group and other security groups in Ikorodu.
He added that the council is working on establishing a joint security task force that will comprise of the army, police, vigilance groups and others.
Meanwhile, two suspected notorious members of the Eye cult who have allegedly been terrorizing Ikorodu township in the last four days have been arrested by the Onyabo Vigilance Group.
THE IMPACT gathered that the two suspected cultists, Ganiu Jaiyesimi and Rafiu who led the attack on the Onyabo Office at Aga around 9.00pm last Tuesday, were arrested on Wednesday, January 13, 2021.
Other suspects that are now on the run, according to the Onyabo Vigilance group are Computer Gbada, Emmanuel and Pencil among others.
Our reporter also discovered that the resumption of operations by the vigilance group coupled with the presence of men of the Nigerian Police Force have encouraged many residents to open their shops and offices and resumed commercial activities.
The two suspects, we also gathered, have been handed over to the State Police Command by the Deputy Command of the Onyabo, Akogun Lanre Olabinjo.
Meanwhile, Akogun Lanre Olabinjo, confirming the arrests, also clarified that the person killed at Ladega last Monday when the entire town was under siege for many hours, was not a member of any cult group but an Igbo trader who was killed by the rampaging cultists after he was robbed.
It was gathered that the notorious cult suspects were arrested in their hideout where they were said to be attempting to remove the bullets in their bodies after their encounter with the Onyabo men during their attack on the Vigilance group’s office.
Akogun Olabinjo, while speaking with THE IMPACT on the suspects’ arrest, said:
“We have arrested two of them, Ganiu Jaiyesimi and one Rafiu. They led the attack on our office on Tuesday night. It was like a war situation here (Onyabo office). They came here to open fire on our men without any provocation because we have not been engaging them since their renewed fight a few days back due to some reasons.
“It was on the following day (Wednesday) that our men acted on intelligence and stormed where they were trying to remove gun shots in their bodies and got them arrested.
“They have made useful statements and I had to invite the State Command yesterday to pick them up for further interrogation and they have also repeated their statements and incriminated other members.
“They gave up names of their colleagues with whom they have been terrorizing Ikorodu and also attacked our office shooting sporadically”.
He stated that it was the attack on the Onyabo office that forced the vigilance group to embark on the operation and flushed bases and houses of other suspected cultists who have now fled Ikorodu.
Speaking on the reason why the group refused to intervene in the recent mayhem unleashed on lkorodu by cultists unlike before, the Onyabo leader said that it was due to the neglect of members of the group by the Ikorodu Local Government and other stakeholders.
“The Council, under Hon. Adeshina, is not responding to security situation in Ikorodu as expected. The council and other stakeholders are not concerned about how we have been putting our lives on line to secure the town. That was why we did not intervene until those Eiye guys came from Obale market area to attack us”.
‘If things continue like this, nobody will have confidence in the government again. People rely more on us (Onyabo) and that was why the previous administration responded and funded the vigilance group because of the roles we are playing in ensuring the security of the community. People are relying more on community policing.
“The Councils should be financially committed to security and taking care of our members that are sacrificing for the security of the community”.
It was also gathered that the intervention by the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Shotobi who was said to have been regularly given his monthly financial support to the local security outfit, made the vigilance group to have change of mind.
Akogun Labinjo said that he received calls on December 24, 2020, that some people are robbing at Itamaga, which he sent his boys to thwart their operation.
He added that one of his boys sustained gunshot wounds and his attempts to get the council to assist in his treatment yielded little result.
“On getting there, those robbers opened fire on my boys and the most affected was Sola. On that same day, I had to cough out N75, 000 for his medical treatment and I called the council chairman to assist us”.
He said that 19 bullets have so far been removed from the victim’s body and that the x-ray that was done recently also revealed that six more bullets are still lodged in his neck.
“After the Chairman and the Council Manager dilly – dallied for hours, I was asked to send somebody to pick the money and we were only given N20, 000 when we needed about N200, 000 at that time. They said that they would provide more money by the following Monday but as I am speaking with you now, I have not gotten anything from the Chairman. Not even a call about to know about the state of the boy”.
Olabinjo added that the Chairman did not deem it fit to call until when the town was on fire that he called for our assistance in dealing with the situation.
“He called me for our intervention but I didn’t responded because I cannot mobilise my men since he is not ready to act as the Chief Security Officer. The Council Manager also called too…”.
The local security chieftain told THE IMPACT that they were paid N500, 000. 00 monthly by the late Alhaji Sherif Anipole administration in addition to the patrol van and other support provided for them, but that the present administration of Hon. Wasiu Adeshina reduced the allowance and also has not been consistent in paying it.
“We were paid N500, 000. 00 monthly during the Alhaji Anipoleadministration and it was consistent. The administration also provided patrol van and other support for us. The financial support was just for our running cost because I am still responsible for the daily upkeep of my men.
“I heard that the present Chairman, while he was Executive Secretary of the council, said that he can only pay N250, 000 and it became an issue because Onyabo was polarized during the period and it was discovered that he was actually paying N390, 000 to someone (name of other person withheld) who was declaring N250, 000.
“Based on this, I said that the council should stop paying any money until we resolve our internal crisis and others agreed. Unfortunately when Adeshina became the Chairman, he said that he can only pay N200, 000 and this was initially rejected but was later accepted after interventions.
“His N200, 000 pledged has not been constant and with this, do we maintain our operations within the town? We are not asking for salaries for our boys. In actual fact, his body language and actions are suggesting that he’s not ready to pay again”, he said.
“While the Council has not been forthcoming, Oba Shotobi has been consistent in supporting us”.
Akogun Olabinjo also alleged that some Council Chairmen and ‘Ajagungbales’ (landgrabbers) are the ones empowering cultists that are disturbing the peace of Ikorodu.
He mentioned two Council Chairmen in Ikorodu Constituency I (names withheld) and where they are using cultists as revenue collectors and boldly said that he should be quoted.
He added that until the Council Chairmen are alive to their responsibilities to properly fund security and operate a joint security taskforce, the division will not have peace.
The Onyabo leader also stated that there is need to flush ‘Ajagungbales’ out of Ikorodu for cultism activities to be curtailed.
Olabinjo also alleged that the Hon. Adeshina has not been calling security council meetings which are very crucial to tackling challenges of insecurity in Ikorodu.
He proposed the setting up of Ikorodu Security Trust Fund to enable the security situation in Ikorodu to be properly dealt with.
Ikorodu LG Chairman’s Response
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Ikorodu LG, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, in his response, denied neglecting the Onyabo Vigilance Group since his administration came on board.
He debunked most of the allegations leveled against him by Akogun Labinjo when our reporter asked for his response.
Hon. Adeshina said that the funding of Onyabo is not the responsibility of the council and that they are only supporting the group.
“All that (allegations leveled against him by Akogun Labinjo) could not be true. In the first instance, Onyabo is a vigilante outfit and not an organization that the council should be responsible for.
“When I came on board, I was been dealing with Bombata (the late leader of Onyabo) and there was a way he was dealing with us.
“I have been paying them (Onyabo) N200, 000.00 monthly and we counterfoil the cheque for your confirmation”, Adeshina said.
“I have also been supporting them with whatever I have during festive seasons”.
He stated that Akogun Olabinjo was the one that asked him to stop paying the money when there was a problem within the Onyabo group which also bothered on monetary issues. This confirmed the Onyabo leader’s position to our reporter.
“It got to a point that there was a problem among them (Onyabo) and he (Akogun Labinjo) said that I should not pay the money again and I stopped the payment.
“After the death of Bombata, they asked me to recommence the payment but I asked them to make it official so that I can be paying them…”
“What we are doing is just to support them. I cannot do more than I can offer based on what is coming into the council.
“This is just a vigilance group. I am also responsible for the police, 174 battalion and other security agencies”.
On the attack on Onyabo members by robbers last year for which the vigilance group requested for the council’s assistance, the Chairman said:
“We can only give them whatever that we have when they have any challenge. We are only supporting them”.
He also denied the allegation that his administration has not been holding security meetings.
“We usually hold security meetings, but he (Lanre) has not been coming. He said that he is not with us”, Hon. Adeshina said.
Also, the Council Chairman, when asked about his view on the Ikorodu Division Security Trust, said:
“It is a very good idea. The Kabiyesi (Ayangbure of Ikorodu) is handling that and we will support it whenever it is established. It will go a long way in helping us”.
He also revealed that the council is planning to have a joint taskforce to deal with the security situation in lkorodu.
“As part of our efforts, we are planning a joint task force among the army, police and other vigilance groups to tackle the menace (cultism). This will cost us money and that is why I said earlier that we are also responsible for other groups and not only Onyabo alone.
Adeshina also denied the knowledge that some Council Chairmen are empowering cultists through revenue collections.
“I don’t know anything about that except you can mention the affected council”, he responded.
After our reporter mentioned the concerned councils alleged by the Onyabo leader to be empowering cultists with revenue collection, the Chairman said:
“It was the Onyabo members that some people are accusing of belonging to a cult group. We have records to that effect. We should not be deceiving ourselves”, Hon. Adeshina alleged.
