LAGOS AT 50 ; STATE OF SECURITY IN LAGOS STATE.

A view of the state.

By O'Zik

This year, 2017, does mark the 50th year(golden jubilee) cum anniversary of Lagos being a state within the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
We should not be quick to forget that this same area was at a time a colony of Britain in 1861, before it was amalgamated to be part of the southern and northern protectorate of Nigeria in 1914 by the then Governor-General, Lord Lugard.
It is also fact that it had once held the position of being capital of Lagos(technically/officially) and it does has a rich history as part of the over  50 years old Republic Republic of Nigeria.

The state has grown and as at 2007 population census, ranked second in Nigeria, trailing behind Kano. It is seen as the commercial nerve of Nigeria and maybe the "business centre" of the country. As a matter of fact, it is seen as a metropolis and is gradually transforming into a megacity.

However, no country or state is without challenges. Since the inception of the Akinwunmi Ambode administration, Lagos has developed tremendously as he did lay new standards and continued with laudable projects commenced by his predecessor.

Security in Lagos has been technically good but issues still abound, especially in the main lands of Lagos- Ikorodu axis, Kosofe, Bayeku and Ibeshe axis, Isawo and Agric.
For over a year or so, there have been killings in Agric by persons suspected to be Ijaws from South-south geographical zone. These persons are alleged to rob and steal from their victims and eventually end up killing them.

Residents of the affected area(Agric) did lay their grievances and cried out but the matter wasn't attended to in time. We are not sure if the onslaught of persons in the area has stopped officially. The question is, why the stealing and killings?
From the research we made, the Ijaws seem not to like the emergence of  Mohammadu Buhari and they feel their person (Goodluck Jonathan)  was "slied". A version of the reasons for the killings and stealing Posits that(allegedly) that these Ijaws engage vehemently in oil bunkering and vandalism but they've lost their grip on their supposed cum illegal means of livelihood due to certain security measures put in place by the Federal and state Government.

Examining areas like Ikorodu central, Odogunyan, Ikorodu Garage, we do hear of cases of cult group clashes at regular intervals. I do commend the "Onyabo group"( a security outfit) which has succeeded in reducing the operations of these groups.

Just recently, an hydra-headed security issue arose, the killings of  people by a group popularly called " Bhadoo".
This group first started their Onslaught of humans in Ibeshe,Lagos. Residents in the area claim that they would enter a house around 12-4am, rape females and kill everyone in that house using a stone made completely with(of) cement.

The latest news heard of them is that they did wipe out a whole family in Adamo, Ikorodu North local council development area. Most people in the area are fleeing for their life, confusion has rented the area, most families and individuals cannot sleep with their two eyes closed.  They live in perpetual fear.

Speaking with a resident of Adamo, he did say this, "We want the Federal government and Lagos state government to come to our rescue. Most of my neighbors have abandoned their homes and most of us sleep in fear after the awful incident that happened recently,we appeal that security agencies be deployed to our area, the Federal and state government should tighten up security of lives and property-we would also be on the lookout ".

In an attempt to know the origin of the bhadoo group or how they operate. It was discovered that their paymasters most likely are politicians and some wealthy individuals.
A guy was said to be apprehended in Ibeshe while trying to rape a lady, on interrogation, he did confess that he was a member of the dreaded  "bhadoo" group and they do work for politicians and some wealthy people. He did also shed light on their modus de operandi.

Sincerely and honestly speaking, the Federal government and even the Governor Ambode Administration should really look for ways and means of strengthening security within the state especially her mainlands.

I think at this juncture, residents of areas in Lagos that have been ravaged by killings and stealing should not totally depend on security agencies-it is high time they also made use of local vigilante groups cum security outfits to serve as support for the existing security agencies that may be deployed by the government.

Lagos is a state with diverse ethnic groups and persons, a state loved by all but it would be very weird if this same state is marred -killings, security issues in the main land if not controlled may become a national or big security problem/challenge.