Tension is currently building up between Chairmen of Ikorodu Division local governments and local council development areas over the operations of vigilante groups in the Division.
This is coming on the heels of a Communique jointly issued by all the council Chairmen on Tuesday, 8th March, 2022, demanding that any local vigilante group that wants to operate in any local government in the Division must first be registered and profiled by them.
In what appears like a tacit reaction to the planned Launching and Unveiling of the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative, a body established by royal fathers in the Division to stem the tide of insecurities that has enveloped the community in recent times. The body wa launched yesterday, Wednesday, 9th March at Ikorodu Town Hall.
Addressing the media men and women on behalf of his colleagues, Hon Wasiu Adeshina, Chairman Ikorodu local government stated that, security was the sole responsibility of governnent, especially at the grassroots.
‘Whilst we shall continue to work and remain çommitted to the security of lives and properties in our geographical jurisdictions in the lkorodu Division by working with all the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian military, all the paramilitary establishments, as well as all the lawful and constitutional corporate bodies, registered entities, traditional institutions, political leaders, among others’.
“We shall neither abdicate nor abandon our prerogatives and responsibilities of making sure that the good and patriotic people of Ikorodu Division are not left unprotected from any form of unconstitutional and/or unlawful activities contrived not only to whittle down the efforts of the government but also to make the lkorodu Division people undeservedly susceptible and vulnerable to all manners of vicious elements and/or impostors and/or entities without any credible records on security matters and/or bodies with records and antecedents of working against the success of the government”, he emphasised.
Adeshina was joined at the press conference by his five other colleagues namely, Hon. Sulaimon Kazeem Olanrewaju, Chairman, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Builder Adebisi Banjo, Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo-Alogba, Chairman, Ijede LCDA and Prince Wasiu Kunle Agoro, Chairman, Imota LCDA.
‘All private security outfits (registered or yet to be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission) and/or Vigilantes and/or any other entities, however so described, with interest in security in Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Nigeria, must be registered and/or officially documented with their local government and the local council development areas where they intend to operate in’, he added.
‘In registering, all private security outfits (registered or yet to be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission) and/or Vigilantes and/or any other entity, however so described with interest in security in lkorodu Division of Lagos State, Nigeria, must submit the profiles (Resumes) of all their directors and personnel as well as their equipment (arms and ammunitions) to the local government and the local council development areas where they intend to operate for onward submission to the Nigeria Police Force and other government-established security outfits’, he concluded.
It is not yet clear the steps the council Chairmen will take now that the IDPILG has been formally unveiled by royal fathers in Ikorodu Division at a well attended event yesterday.
In an apparent reaction to the pronouncement or the council bosses, Ikorodu Division royal fathers led by the Ayangburen of Ikorodu has stated that the body was not in any competition with the local government.
The joint security meeting was also attended by Council Leaders from the six Council areas, DPOs, Commandant, Lagos Neighbourhood Corps, Director of SSS and officers of the NDLEA.
