Tension as military surrounds Lagos community

There has been tension in the Ishawo, Ikorodu area of Lagos State as military officers and mobile policemen have taken over the community.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that more than 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers, together with hundreds of soldiers, bombarded the area from 4am on Saturday.

It was learnt that the operation of motorcycles riders and tricycle drivers was restricted while many residents could not move out of their homes.

A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that residents were in mortal fear of the unknown.

He said two civilians were feared dead.

He said, “There are so many of the soldiers. The soldiers have started combing everywhere and they were backed by mobile policemen. They have cordoned off the community. They started arriving since 4am and the whole place is littered with them. They are patrolling Ishawo road. Nobody can come out. Two civilians have been killed, but I don’t have their names yet.”

It will be recalled that no fewer than seven officials of the Department of State Service were reportedly killed in September by some suspected pipeline vandals in the area.

The vandals took away their remains and escaped with their weapons.

Prior to the time, three policemen attached to the Owutu Police Division and Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, were also shot dead by the vandals, who took away their corpses.

A police source explained that many of the vandals had escaped from the area upon getting the information that the military were around the vicinity.

Meanwhile, during a press briefing on Saturday, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, said the presence of the security operatives was to end the menace of the hoodlums terrorising the community.