By Daud Olatunji

Expectedly, the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, being the security officer in the state recently disclosed that   he has written   Save Our Souls letters to the Presidency,   Chief of Naval Staff and other stakeholders over the incessant invasion of his state by people suspected to be militants. And so far, no fewer than twenty lives have been lost to the incident while many people have lost their property worth millions of Naira.

Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun

Those who live in riverine areas within the state have become jittery following the incessant deadly attacks by the militants who were said to have vowed to ensure they killed 110 persons in   reprisal for the death of two of their colleagues.

Reports have it that,   men of Special Anti-Robbery Squad have invaded the community in search of criminals and were   engaged in gun duel with these militants at an hotel leaving two of the militants  dead.

But, in a reprisal attack, the militants , having made a retreat, launched   a full blown attack     on the entire people of Elepete,   Igbo-Olomu, Imushin and it’s environs in Sagamu Local Government killing some landlords. Even, attempts by the Deputy governor, Yetunde Onanuga   to visit the troubled   areas was resisted as she was blocked while her security details which comprise police and soldiers were engaged in gun duel.

In a bid to ensure lives and property of his people in the state are secured,   the governor raced to Abuja   and reported the incident with a view to finding solutions.  Concerned about the recent attacks of suspected militants in parts of the state, Amosun also   sought the support of the Nigerian Navy to halt the acts of terror being unleashed on  some communities by them.

File: Militants

Governor Amosun made this position clear while receiving principal officers of the Western Naval Command, led by the flag officer commanding, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobbai at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

Amosun, who acknowledged the presence of other security agencies in the state, averred that there was the need for the Navy to also collaborate with the existing security outfits particularly as the militants had been using the creeks to perpetrate their nefarious acts with a pledge to the government to complement the Navy in the area of infrastructure.

In his response,  the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobbai   said the   Nigeria Navy would   stamp out the rising wave of militant activities in some riverine communities in Lagos and Ogun States, which have resulted in wanton killings and destruction of properties.

Bobai, who was in company of the Lieutenant Commander of Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Abeokuta, Ahmed Abdullahi, and senior naval officers, said the creeks were already being combed to  make them crime-free. He said the Navy, in conjunction with operatives of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), had made some arrests in connection with maritime criminality. He   explained that based on directive from the Presidency, the Navy was ready to assist the two state governments in subduing daredevil militants and eradicating their menace.

He said, “As a matter of fact, you know that there is an operation ongoing called Operation Awatse. Awatse is a Hausa name to say scatter; so we hope that in a short while, the Operation Awatse would swing into intensive operations to ensure that all these places are cleaned up of militants.

“Essentially, from the maritime front, one of the greatest problems we have is in the right of way in the water front and creeks there. There are natural obstacles that will hinder us to move from point A to point B and the Chief of Naval Staff is very much concerned about that.”

“Today, we have a team that is going round some of those creeks to see how we can open up the waterways to enable us move in to confront these issues that we are talking about.” He disclosed   that the Navy is  planning   to establish a new Naval base in Tongeji Island in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state to check pipeline vandalism, smuggling of contraband and other maritime-related illegalities.

Bobbai solicited the assistance of the Ogun State government in putting in place necessary facilities for the proposed Naval unit at Tongeji Island. He said, “On  the 4th of April, I was at Tongeji Island in Ipokia Local Government at the instance of Chief of Naval Staff to see what kind of infrastructure we have on ground with a view to establishing a naval unit there.

“Interestingly, that island is just five minutes to Porto Novo but it is 50 minutes to Badagry (in Lagos State) and there is no connectivity on land, you will go there by water. So the people are cut off.  “Hopefully, in a short distance, we will establish a naval unit there to fight the numerous maritime illegalities that are being carried out in that stretch between Badagry and Benin Republic through the Tongeji Island axis.

“We have made some arrests since the beginning of this year ranging from people dealing with petroleum products that are gotten from pipeline vandalism, and smuggling of contraband and drugs we’ve all seized in conjunction with Customs.

“So, it is hoped that when the Naval base is established there, we will act as a checkpoint where people must pass to go to Benin Republic and once our presence is established there, it’s like you virtually block them. We expect to see a decline in some of these illegal activities within that stretch.”

Meanwhile,   the Police have said that they have arrested four suspected Militants including an acclaimed Secretary of the militants allegedly operating between Ikorodu and Ibafo in Ogun state. The State Police Commissioner,   Abdulmajid Ali while parading the suspects said the arrested   militants belong to a gang that was responsible for the death of a Police Corporal attached to Ibafo Division and stole his AK 47 riffle.

Ali said the four suspects   were arrested following a tip-off received by the command,   adding that they had been responsible for kidnappings, robbery and attacks along the creeks at   Ikorodu     and Ibafo . The suspected militants arrested include   an aclaimed   secretary of the gang, Ogbozua Pere John, Ifeanyi Eze,24, Shobijo Ireland,22, and Aijoku Ezekiel, 23.

Speaking with newsmen,   the acclaimed   militant Secretary, Ogbozua Pere   said he was a graduate of Ambrose Ali University in Edo state but, was lured into vandalisation and militancy because of unemployment. Ogbozua said he usually bought fuel from Ibafo creeks and sells it to his customers toarn a living.

He however,   denied involving in militancy saying he only engaged in selling black market to feed his family. But, a member of the gang,   Ifeanyi   Eze, said Ogbozua was the militant   Secretary   who kept guns for them. He said,   his vehicle was used to carry the last operation before they were arrested.