We are after the Ikorodu Militants – Lagos CP

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Fatai Owoseni, said the command was working with sister security agencies to arrest the suspected militants that killed four policemen, an army captain and a civilian today.

Owoseni made the promise in a statement on Sunday while responding to the killings by militants in Isawo area of Ikorodu in Lagos state. His statement, the first by any top security official clarified earlier reports that two soldiers were killed.

The commissioner said that the officers were killed while trying to rescue some people abducted by the unidentified gunmen.

“At about 1a.m of today Sunday April 9, the Police received distress call that a group of militants/kidnappers had entered Owutu-Isawo in Ikorodu through the thick swampy forest surrounding the area.

“They were reported to have kidnapped some residents. In response, the Police and the Army immediately mobilised personnel to the area, where the kidnapped victims were rescued.

“Sadly, however, five out of the gallant, brave and patriotic officers lost their lives during the rescue operation. One of them is a Nigerian Army Captain, while the remaining four are Policemen. One of the residents in the area also died.

“We pray that the God Almighty reward their loyalty to the Nation with Paradise and grant their souls peaceful rest.

“We also pray that God gives their respective families the courage to bear the loss,” Owoseni said.

“The Command will like to assure the public that with synergy from sister security agencies, the criminal elements involved in this dastardly act shall be apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.

“ We will continue to rely on the good people of Lagos State for useful information and their partnership,” he said.

The commissioner said that the officers were killed while trying to rescue some people abducted by the unidentified gunmen, stressing that one army Captain and a civilian were among the six persons killed.

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Ikorodu Killing: Army confirms death of Soldier, 4 Policemen

The Nigerian Army in Lagos on Sunday confirmed the death of a soldier and four policemen in an ambush by suspected criminal gangs in Ishawo Community in Ikorodu.

The confirmation was made in a statement by 81 Division’s Acting Deputy Director, Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Olaolu Saudi.

“At about 3 a.m. on Sunday, April 9, a patrol team led by a Nigerian Army officer responded to a distress call.

“The distress call was from the police requesting for reinforcement because some suspected criminals had invaded Yewa Community, Isawo in Ikorodu, Lagos State and abducted some persons.

“The combined team in a swift response was able to successfully foil the kidnap attempt and rescued all the abducted victims.

“Nine of the victims, including an infant of about two years old were rescued from the criminals.

“However, on their way back, they were ambushed by a suspected criminal gang.

“During the clearance of the ambush, unfortunately four policemen lost their lives while the army officer who led the operation sustained gunshot wounds and died on the way to the hospital.

“Similarly, four of the rescued victims of the kidnap, including the infant, sustained injuries during the encounter.

“They have all been evacuated to a hospital and are responding to treatment,” the statement said.

It added that the Commander, 9 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Elias Attu and Commissioner of Police, Lagos state, Mr Fatai Owoseni, had assessed the situation and gave impetus to the pursuit of the fleeing criminals.

“Meanwhile, a combined team of the Police and military is in hot pursuit of the suspected kidnappers who fled the scene carrying the dead bodies of their colleagues and the wounded.

“The combined team is on their trail as they have vowed that the death of the gallant officer and men of the Nigerian Police who fought bravely for the success of the operation will not be in vain.

“We would like to use this medium to implore anyone with useful information to come forward.

“We are also reassuring the general public, especially the residents of Isawo community in Ikorodu, of their continued safety,” the statement said.

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Militants kill 5 Policemen, Army Captain and Soldier in Lagos

No fewer than five policemen and two soldiers, including an army captain were killed by suspected militants early Sunday morning in Ikorodu Area of Lagos. Sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the bodies of the victims had been removed.

The slain Captain was simply identified as Muhammad. There has been no official confirmation of the killings yet.

It was gathered that the existing presence of the Joint Task Force called Operation Awatse did not deter the militants from operating in the area they were driven away from about a year ago by members of the same task force.

The report stated that the militants struck at Woodland Estate close to Ishawo Creeks and engaged the security personnel, soldiers and the police, in a gun duel.

“At the end of the gun duel, five policemen and two soldiers were reportedly gunned down by the militants,” the source revealed.

It was unclear if there were any casualties on the part of the militants, although security forces were said to have reinforced and stormed the area for reconnaissance and possible counter-action.

When contacted, the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP. Olarinde Famous-Cole, said he was still gathering information on the matter adding that a statement would soon be issued.

Also, the spokesperson of the 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Olaolu Daudu said that a statement would be released on the incident later.

It will be recalled that on March 13, 2017, it reported the return of the militants to the area.

Residents said they lived in palpable fear. The militants, whose stocks in trade are kidnapping and oil theft, were chased out of the area in August 2016 by the Task Force, after several bloody clashes in the community.

Scores of people were killed during the clashes between militants and residents of Isawo community before the joint military task force was deployed in the area.

Famous-Cole disclosed in March that the command was re-strategising the security arrangements in the state, including Ikorodu area.

He said more police patrol teams would be deployed in the area, and urged residents to provide useful information on the activities of the hoodlums.

The Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Fergusson Bobai, said: “I don’t have any report yet to suggest that militants are back in those areas.

“But Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has approved the return of swamp buggies to open up the creeks in those areas to enable the security forces carry out in-depth patrols.

The swamp buggy is a motor vehicle used to traverse swampy terrain. Buggies are able to move about on dry land, shallow mud, sand, shallow water and deep mud.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Idris Ibrahim, on Aug. 4, 2016 visited Isawo creeks and was briefed about the activities of the militants.

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Vandals kill four Lagos policemen, escape with corpses

Tragedy struck on Monday on Ishawo Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State, after some Ijaw youths, suspected to be pipeline vandals, opened fire on policemen in the area, killing four. According to PUNCH Metro, three of the deceased were attached to the Owutu Police Division, one was from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

Residents said the Ijaw youths took away the corpses of three of their victims. Punch correspondent observed during a visit to the area that there was apprehension in the community, while there were still bloodstains at the scene of the shooting. A resident, who asked not to be named, said he started hearing gunshots on Sunday.

He told Punch correspondent petrol was generally referred to as ‘water’, or ‘pure water’. He said, “We started hearing gunshots in the evening of Sunday. But it was between 3am and 4am on Monday that the gunshots intensified.

“We did not know what transpired between the ‘pure water’ sellers and the police, who have a patrol team by the roadside, until we woke up to see blood and later learnt that some policemen had been killed.”  Another member of the community explained that the killing was due to a disagreement between the policemen and the suspected vandals.

He said the vandals had paid the policemen some money after they intercepted four tankers of fuel in the community, but the SARS officers later came to make a separate demand.

“After the policemen from Owutu had been settled, SARS operatives came and said they had not been given their own share. “The vandals asked them to meet their colleagues who had already been paid. They told the SARS men that they were not making much money from the business and that their demand was excessive.

“The SARS officers became angry and seized the tankers.” PUNCH Metro learnt from a police source that the vandals left the trucks and returned to their commander in the creek. The source said the commander, one OC, was the one coordinating the vandals in the creek.

The source said, “After SARS officials took over their trucks, they threatened to take them to their station if their demands were not met. The vandals went to mobilise themselves and returned with their boss, OC. “OC then ordered them to open fire on the policemen and that was how three of them died.”

The source identified the deceased cops attached to the Owutu division as Inspector Yerima and Corporal Adakuro, adding that one Sergeant Endurance was rescued from the scene and taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital, from where he was referred to the Lagos Island General Hospital.

He said the station immediately received a call from two other officers, who escaped unhurt, warning of the possibility of an attack on the station. A source told PUNCH Metro that one of the slain cops, Adakuro, was of Ijaw descent, and knew many of the vandals. It was learnt that the police corporal had called the bluff of the vandals, which aggravated the matter.

His handset, which had the phone numbers of the vandals, was said to have been taken away after the incident. It was gathered that the Divisional Police Officer of the Owutu station had reported the case at the command headquarters. The two policemen, who escaped unhurt, were also asked to report at the command.

A senior police source said, “The DPO reported to the CP this morning (Monday). The community has always been peaceful, but the SARS men came to cause trouble. And now, some of our men are unaccounted for.” The General Secretary of Igbo-Olomu Central Working Committee, Obatungashe Adebayo, blamed the government for the rising insecurity in the community.

Adebayo, who stated that 60 litres of petrol was being sold for N2,500 and 30 litres for N1,500 in the community, said the government had refused to address the problem of the Ijaw militants in the area.

He said, “The question is how did they manage to get this sophisticated weapons? We don’t have peace in this community, because at times, we could just be hearing continuous gunshots, as if we are in a war zone. Successive governments have ignored our cries.”

When PUNCH Metro entered the palace of the traditional ruler, whose house was adjacent to the scene of the incident, he was said to be unavailable. The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Patricia Amadin, had yet to respond to enquiry on the matter as of the time of filing this report.

However, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, declined to state the number of policemen killed. “I don’t have the information that four cops were killed. “But we will soon issue something which the PPRO will release to the press. It is not good to speculate,” he said.

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Vandals kill four Lagos policemen, escape with corpses

Tragedy struck on Monday on Ishawo Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State, after some Ijaw youths, suspected to be pipeline vandals, opened fire on policemen in the area, killing four. According to PUNCH Metro, three of the deceased were attached to the Owutu Police Division, one was from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

Residents said the Ijaw youths took away the corpses of three of their victims. Punch correspondent observed during a visit to the area that there was apprehension in the community, while there were still bloodstains at the scene of the shooting. A resident, who asked not to be named, said he started hearing gunshots on Sunday.

He told Punch correspondent petrol was generally referred to as ‘water’, or ‘pure water’. He said, “We started hearing gunshots in the evening of Sunday. But it was between 3am and 4am on Monday that the gunshots intensified.

“We did not know what transpired between the ‘pure water’ sellers and the police, who have a patrol team by the roadside, until we woke up to see blood and later learnt that some policemen had been killed.”  Another member of the community explained that the killing was due to a disagreement between the policemen and the suspected vandals.

He said the vandals had paid the policemen some money after they intercepted four tankers of fuel in the community, but the SARS officers later came to make a separate demand.

“After the policemen from Owutu had been settled, SARS operatives came and said they had not been given their own share. “The vandals asked them to meet their colleagues who had already been paid. They told the SARS men that they were not making much money from the business and that their demand was excessive.

“The SARS officers became angry and seized the tankers.” PUNCH Metro learnt from a police source that the vandals left the trucks and returned to their commander in the creek. The source said the commander, one OC, was the one coordinating the vandals in the creek.

The source said, “After SARS officials took over their trucks, they threatened to take them to their station if their demands were not met. The vandals went to mobilise themselves and returned with their boss, OC. “OC then ordered them to open fire on the policemen and that was how three of them died.”

The source identified the deceased cops attached to the Owutu division as Inspector Yerima and Corporal Adakuro, adding that one Sergeant Endurance was rescued from the scene and taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital, from where he was referred to the Lagos Island General Hospital.

He said the station immediately received a call from two other officers, who escaped unhurt, warning of the possibility of an attack on the station. A source told PUNCH Metro that one of the slain cops, Adakuro, was of Ijaw descent, and knew many of the vandals. It was learnt that the police corporal had called the bluff of the vandals, which aggravated the matter.

His handset, which had the phone numbers of the vandals, was said to have been taken away after the incident. It was gathered that the Divisional Police Officer of the Owutu station had reported the case at the command headquarters. The two policemen, who escaped unhurt, were also asked to report at the command.

A senior police source said, “The DPO reported to the CP this morning (Monday). The community has always been peaceful, but the SARS men came to cause trouble. And now, some of our men are unaccounted for.” The General Secretary of Igbo-Olomu Central Working Committee, Obatungashe Adebayo, blamed the government for the rising insecurity in the community.

Adebayo, who stated that 60 litres of petrol was being sold for N2,500 and 30 litres for N1,500 in the community, said the government had refused to address the problem of the Ijaw militants in the area.

He said, “The question is how did they manage to get this sophisticated weapons? We don’t have peace in this community, because at times, we could just be hearing continuous gunshots, as if we are in a war zone. Successive governments have ignored our cries.”

When PUNCH Metro entered the palace of the traditional ruler, whose house was adjacent to the scene of the incident, he was said to be unavailable. The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Patricia Amadin, had yet to respond to enquiry on the matter as of the time of filing this report.

However, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, declined to state the number of policemen killed. “I don’t have the information that four cops were killed. “But we will soon issue something which the PPRO will release to the press. It is not good to speculate,” he said.

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