2nd April, 2013
The killing of Adeolu Otenaike, a 400-level student of the North American University, the Republic of Benin, on 18 March, by suspected street-based cultists in Ojuelegba, Lagos, calls for the attention of the Nigerian Police. Ditto for the cold-blooded murder of the Chairman, Tricycle Operators (Surulere Zone), Lekan Lawal, by another street gangster, two days after Otenaike’s murder and, which took place a few metres away.
Report had it that three persons were also killed in Mushin area of the state within the same period in circumstances consistent with reprisal cult-killings. It is, therefore, saddening that murderous cult gangs have not only turned our various citadels of learning into slaughter houses, but have also taken their bloody battles for supremacy to the streets of Lagos.
It brings to mind the gruesome murder of Olaniyan Damilola, popularly called Damoche, a 400-level Banking and Finance student of the Lagos State University, Ojo. The negative impact of this unwholesome act is spreading to kids at the primary and secondary schools. University graduates and youth corps members who are members of cult groups in their university days have imported this negative preoccupation to primary and secondary schools where they now teach. This fact is irrefutable given the sociological tendency that a child’s mind is largely formed by behavioural patterns he observes in his environment.
The sheer increase in the number of street gangs in different parts of Lagos and the resultant bloody supremacy skirmishes among them has exposed the inadequacies of the police and relevant authorities at gathering intelligence that could help rein in these criminals.
In some cases, the security agencies and highly placed politicians are involved in perpetration this scourge. They have frustrated meaningful efforts aimed at curtailing it. Many of these toughies and criminals are known to the security agencies, who rather than take decisive action, simply look the other way to avoid confrontation with them and their money-bag and influential sponsors.
During elections, many of these criminals are hired as political thugs and armed by politicians against their opponents and for the purpose of vote-rigging. In some cases, peace efforts between known roughnecks have been initiated at the instance of people in the corridors of power, while many of them are compensated with toll-collection at motor parks.
The arrowheads of the different gang-related clashes, leading to deaths at Fadeyi, Onipanu, Jibowu and Lagos Island, to mention but a few, are not ghosts. They are well known to policemen. They are the same faces seen giving protection to politicians at political rallies.
Like the cancerous effect of a malignant tumour, the effect of this social dysfunction will be catastrophic in the long run if not checked. Although this situation is not limited to Lagos state, the damage on the state, if not curtailed, could be colossal.
As the commercial heartbeat of the nation, with multi-billion investments in these anti-social elements should not be allowed any foothold in the city. Without effective intelligence gathering and its application, investments in crime-combating hard wares are meaningless. The state government should see to the creation of specific laws that will deal with the despicable trend, strengthen existing laws and ensure they are effectively enforced.