Ogun Residents Flee Communities As Cultists Mark Anniversary Today

Punch
Residents of Fakale, Igode and Emuren
communities, in the Sagamu Local Government
Area of Ogun State have started fleeing their
homes.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the residents were
afraid over the reports that suspected cult
members of the Eiye Confraternity planned to
unleash mayhem during their anniversary on
Monday (today).
It was gathered that some dwellers of Odo
Kekere, Odo Nla and Itapara within the LGA had
also started vacating their homes, saying the
cultists had vowed to cause bloodbath to mark
the August 8 anniversary.
Our correspondent had reported that some
communities in Ogun State were under siege on
July 7, when some suspected Aye Confraternity
members killed 11 persons, while marking the
7/7 anniversary.
PUNCH Metro also reported that some other cult
members stormed the Ogijo area last Wednesday
and killed four residents.
The head of Igode community, Chief Rafiu Idisu,
told our correspondent on Sunday that no fewer
than 70 residents had packed out for fear of
being attacked in the coming August 8
celebration, which the cultists tagged, ‘8/8.’
Idisu said he had drawn the attention of the
Chairman, Sagamu LGA, Mr. Lola Awoniyi, to the
tension in the community and urged the police to
nip the pending attack in the bud.
He said, “For the past three days now, there has
been information across the community and its
environs that Eiye cult members will attack
people to mark their anniversary on Monday.
“People have started leaving ssince then,
especially those who live on new sites. About 70
residents have fled and residents in other
communities such as Fakale, Itapara and Odo
Kekere, are doing same.
“I have informed the council chairman and he
promised to do something about it. We want the
police to position patrol vehicles around the
communities to protect us because we have no
place to run to. We don’t want a repeat of what
happened on July 7.”
The Secretary, Oodua People’s Congress, Fakale,
Idris Lawal, said his members were aware of the
development and had mounted surveillance at
strategic points in the community to foil any
attack.
“We are fully prepared for them. We have
assured our people to be calm, but those who
are afraid have left. Policemen are also on
patrol,” he added.
The council chairman, Awoniyi, said security
agencies had been informed to forestall any
breach of the peace in the areas.
He said, “We have alerted all the necessary
security agencies to the threat. As the chief
security officer of the council, necessary steps
have been taken to forestall any attack. So,
security wise, the communities are safe.”
The acting Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun
State Command, ASP Ambibola Oyeyemi, said
policemen had been deployed in different parts
of the state to check cult activities.
He said, “The state Commissioner of Police, CP
Ahmed Iliyasu, has made it clear that whoever
parades himself as a cultist will be treated like
an armed robber, kidnapper or murderer. The CP
has ordered all the Divisional Police Officers to
be on their toes.
“Our Special Intelligence Bureau officers are at
various parts of the state to nip in the bud any
mob attack. People should not fear harassment
from anywhere. They should go about their
business in a normal way; we are on top of the
situation. Nothing is going to happen in those
communities because policemen are on the
ground.”