15 Lagos communities send SOS to IG threat to lives

Fifteen communities in Ibeju- Lekki area of Lagos State have sent an SOS to the Inspector- General of Police (IG), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, urging him to save them in the hands of Mutairu Owoeye and Ganiyu Owoeye, both principal suspects in a land grabbing suit that failed to come up on Wednesday before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court.

The two suspects were slated to be arraigned before the court in Lagos, but did not turn up to the consternation of numerous complainants who gathered to watch the proceedings commenced.

The communities, include Oko Olomi, Olowu Oko Olomi, Adeba Jagunna, Itapampa, Adaba Onikonko, Oko Ile, Oko Jigi, Alabula, Seriki Alabula, Alaga, Oko Idioro, Idi Ope, Adebare, Abule Baba Adisa and Aiyeteju.

Counsel to the complainants, Shem Olatunde Popoola, who addressed newsmen in company of Alhaji Muraina Banjoko, Sikiru Atanda, among others, said that the call on the IG became imperative as their lives were in danger, following some form of threats and strange calls they received on their cell phones.

Besides, Popoola, who spoke at Fakile in Alausa area of Ogun State, said the non-appearance in court of the two principal suspects in court was a great source of concern in the face of available evidence that they had been released by police authorities.

This he said was in spite of concrete assurance offered by the AIG Shehu Umar of Force CID on Tuesday in Abuja that both Mutairu and Gani, who were then in police custody, following evidence that they had criminally invaded the affected communities, destroyed all building structures, maimed and raped people, would be brought to Lagos and charged to court immediately on Wednesday.

“On Tuesday, November 8, 2016 when we eventually interviewed the AIG, he directed that the two suspects, that is, Alhaji Mutairu Owoeye and Ganiyu Owoeye along other suspects in police custody be brought back to Lagos and charged to court immediately on Wednesday, November 9, 2016.

“Unfortunately, on our arrival at the court premises today Wednesday, November 9, 2016 all the suspects and the IPO were absent.

“We were, therefore, informed that after our departure from FIB on Tuesday, Alhaji Mutairu Owoeye and Ganiyu Owoeye were both released by the AIG and both of them have refused to show up till this present moment,” Popoola said.

Popoola, who disclosed that several petitions had been written to various to people in authority, including the Senate Committee on Defence, Chief of Army Staff (COS) and GOC, 81 Div, Kofo Abayomi and Federal Ministry of Interior but with no response concerning criminal invasion of the listed communities since last April 17th, said it was worrisome that the arrested persons could be released without the court authority.