By Efe Onodjae

Residents of Olaoluwa community, Aparadija, Itele, Ogun State, have appealed to the State Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, to caution his officers from colluding with criminal gangs in perpetrating dangerous activities in the neighborhood.

They alleged that the officers are on the payrolls of the leader of the gang, Wale, saying that he is a notorious drug merchant terrorising residents and visitors of the community on a daily basis.

According to them, Wale, who operates his narcotics retail shop from his mother’s house under Powerline beside an open Community playing ground around Cele bus stop, Aparadija village, Itele, Ota alongside his foot soldiers, are in the habit of barricading the road leading to the bus stop to harass residents, Okada riders, motorists as well as passersby in attempt extort them before and during festive seasons.

Activities of these notorious narcotics peddlers have continued to attract similar gangs who patronise them, leading residents to commute to work and business places in fear of being attacked as both members of the drugs gang and those who patronize them openly smoke marijuana and take other prohibited narcotics at every corner within the neighborhood. Some residents have decided to take another route which is a very distant journey to their various homes for fear of being attacked by the Youthful drugs gang.

Wale, on several occasions, has threatened to deal with some of the community leaders who challenge the activities of his gang members while hawking the substance for him within the neighborhood boasting that he and his gang have top Police protection.

Evidence of his alleged protection by the police are often manifested as Police from formations within the division always storm the community mostly on Fridays evening to pick “Protection Fees” from the leader of the gang.
The officers were in the habit of firing bullets into the air to announce their presence in the community. This is meant to scare residents away while their presence and engagements with the drug merchant last.

Residents of the community are now appealing to CP Frank Mba of the Ogun State Police Command and the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, boss, Brigadier Gen. Buba Marwa (retd) to urgently come to their rescue.