…my son was killed – Centenarian laments
Indigenes of Ijegun Egba/Ibasa, a riverine community in the Ori Ade Local Government Area of Lagos State, have raised alarm over constant attacks by hoodlums.
They have called on the Lagos State Government and the Police to come to their aid before the situation gets out of hand.
Briefing journalists, weekend, in the community, the residents, among whom was a centenarian identified as Alaba Molik, disclosed that the latest attack occurred last week, as armed hoodlums numbering over 100 invaded the community and demolished their shrine.
One of the community leaders, Prince Raji Teslim, said the hoodlums aimed to forcefully take over their ancestral home.
He said: ” They are trying to forcefully take over our land. They are strangers that were accommodated by our forefathers.
“On November 3, 2023, over 200 armed hoodlums invaded our community to demolish the community shrine.
“That was not the first time. Three years ago, they came with thugs and attacked us. They killed many of our people. Many of our sons are still being kept in prison for speaking against the plan to take over our ancestral home.”
He alleged that during such invasions, some men who were clad in Military uniform accompanied the hoodlums.
Expressing shock over the invasion, he said the claim of his ancestral home was baseless as the river had already demarcated his community from the opponents.
Also speaking, the family head of Aina Jagun Descendants, Abideen Paramole, lamented, “Our lives are in danger. Our people cannot go to the market or the jetty without being attacked by strangers on our land.”
Also, a former Councilor in Ori Ade Local Government, Prince Ayinde Saeed, said: “They see our people as helpless and want to use that advantage to take over our ancestral land.
“The case over ownership of the landmass that comprises Ijegun Egba/ Ibasa has been decided at the Appeal Court in favour of the Aina Jagun Family, who are the original settlers of Ijegun Egba/Ibasa community.
“I am appealing to the Lagos State Governor, the state House of Assembly, the Attorney General of Lagos State and the Police, to come to our rescue. They should not allow our family to go into extinction from the activities of these land grabbers.”
On her part, the Centenarian, Moliki who disclosed that her son was killed during one of the invasions, explained, “I am from Ibasa while my husband is from Ijegun Egba. My husband’s people are the owners of this community.
“I am over 100 years old. I ran away from my people in Ibasa to my husband ‘ ‘s people in Ijegun Egba, when they killed my son over this land issue. My grandson is still in prison. They lied against him to the police.”
The case had been reported at the Zone 2 Command, Onikan Lagos.
Sources at Zone 2 said that a meeting between members of both communities had been scheduled for November 7, 2023, with the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Muhammed Ali.