Troops launch attack on militants in Lagos, Ogun

•We will continue air operations until… —Air force

PALPABLE tension gripped residents of Agbede Imuti and Igbo Olomu communities in Lagos State, Ibafo and Arepo in Ogun State as the military, on Thursday evening, launched an air raid on the militant’s camps.

A fighter jet of the Air Force also hovered around the communities at the time, with gunshots heard in different directions.

The raid reportedly started around 6.00 p.m. and was ongoing as of the time of filing this report.

The head of military operation, however, assured that there was no cause for alarm, adding that lives and properties would be protected.

He was also said to have assured that the military operation would not extend to the upland.

Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa told the Nigerian Tribune that there the operation, codenamed “Operation Awasa” was ongoing in Ikorodu-Arepo in conjunction with other security operatives.

He noted that the Air Force was involved in the air operation are, while other security operatives involved in land operation.

According to him, “this is to check pipeline vandalism, militants’ activities and kidnapping in the areas.”

It was also gathered that operatives bombed the hideouts of militant in Ikorodu community.

The development, it was gathered, was to scare the militants out of their hideouts.

A resident of Igbo-Olomu, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune, said many residents had started relocating from the communities for the fear of being attacked by the militants.

A resident, who simply identified himself as Sile, said they were apprehensive of the militants’ invasion of their homes in their bid to escape from the military onslaught.

The acting image maker in charge of Ogun police command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the police command was not aware of the raid.

Meanwhile, the new Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Mr Ahmed Iliyasu, has promised to improve on the security situation in the state, in the overall interest of the citizenry.

He stated this on Thursday, while addressing officers of the command, at the Officers’ Mess, Abeokuta, that there would be no room for hoodlums to perpetrate their nefarious activities in the state.

Iliyasu, who had since assumed duty, said all necessary machinery had been put in place to flush out people suspected to be militants, who had been terrorising some parts of the state in the past few months.