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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Some residents of Oworonshoki have raised the alarm over what they described as signs of infiltration of the area by suspected cultists.
PUNCH Metro gathered from the residents and security operatives in the area on Monday that the community had been peaceful since 2020 when suspected cult groups were chased out of the area by policemen and vigilantes.
A resident in the area who does not want his name in print for fear of being a target said the purported return of cultism was following the demolition in the area.
The source said, “Since 2020 and 2021, members of the Aiye Confraternity in particular were chased out of Oworonshoki. They have moved to the Ogudu area. But they don’t have a base there so they want to return.
“The Eiye cult group have been the ones remaining here but they have been peaceful to an extent. The fear now is that the Aiye members are planning to return. We have been seeing the faces of some of them that we know who used to be in this area before security flushed them out.”
Another resident, who gave his name simply as Johnny, said the community leadership should not allow it by not keeping quiet.
He said, “It’s not just Aiye. Even other cult groups are involved. When they (cultists) return here, there will be clashes and the community will not be peaceful again.
“What we heard is that following the demolition, some of them are being used by some powerful people to sustain the demolition by not allowing anyone to put up temporary structures. But are they security operatives?”
Other residents whom our correspondent attempted to interview over the matter declined comments for fear of being targets.
But the Chairman of the Parks and Garage Committee in the area, Rafiu Atanda, while reacting to allegations that the committee was being infiltrated by the suspected cultists, said it was not true, but confirmed that indeed there was suspicious encroachment of suspected cultists in the area.
Atanda said, “Truly, some of the hoodlums went to meet our boss, begging to be fed. Our boss asked that we consider them, but we explained to him that when they were in the community, they killed many people and made families cry. On my part, our last born, Lukmon Balogun, was killed and nothing happened. They were arrested then but some influential persons got them released. Some of them even came after me but God did not allow them to get to me.
“We told our boss that they cannot enter Oworonshoki. Even the king in Oworo was frustrated by these boys before he was installed as king. So, even the king cannot support their return to the community. None of them has been allowed in, we did not allow them. They made moves but we said no.”
On his part, the Chairman of the Oworonshoki Security Committee, Ahaji T.O Ashiru, said his committee was also aware of the development.
“Yes, we are also hearing of it because I am the Asiwaju of Oworonshoki. We don’t want those cultists to return to Oworonshoki. The king has also mentioned it,” Ashiru said.
Calls made to the known line of the Oloworo of Oworoshoki, Oba Babatunde Saliu, were not answered. But a source in the palace told our correspondent that policemen from Alonge Police Station in the area alongside some officers of the Department of State Services were meeting at the palace over the matter.
“They are meeting over the matter, but I don’t have the details yet,” the source said.
Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the police would be working with the locals to forestall any breakdown of law and order in the area.
He, however, said the said development was still mere speculation.
The PPRO in a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Monday, said, “They are fears and possibilities, but prevention and detection of crime is our mandate. So we are working with the community members. They should bring these fears to us. They should inform us.
“We have a good relationship with the DSS, if there is also something that needs to be done on our part, the DSS won’t hesitate to send it to us.”
