13022021 - We'll retaliate - Fulani Association Chair

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 13, 2021 — 7
Self confessed cultists open up on
causes of rival clashes in Lagos
By Evelyn Usman
As part of effort to suppress this act of
lawlessness and hooliganism by cultists across
the length and breadth of Lagos State, the Lagos
State Police Command carried out raids of areas
prone to these attacks like Ikorodu , Surulere and
Mile 12 , where clashes between rival cultists were
recorded this year. So far, more than 100 suspects
have been arrested since January 2021.
Eleven of the suspects were among those
terrorising Owode-Elede, Agilinti, Maidan and
Afinjuomo, all in Mile 12 and Ketu areas of
Lagos State, with the recovery of a locally-made
pistol with life cartridges, weed suspected to be
Indian hemp and assorted charms.
Also, 19 persons were arrested in connection
with the recent cult clash at Alakuko area of
Lagos Sango/Tollgate and Dalemo, in Ogun
State.
In this case, these cultists held residents in the
border communities between Lagos and Ogun
states hostage for two days.
Confessions
Among those arrested were the trio of Ganiu
Ibikunle, Lucky Ebabhi and Kazeem Sherif,
31 years who confessed to be members of Eiye
and Aiye confraternities.
They were arrested in connection with the rival
cult clashes at Obale and Igbolomu, Agric areas
of Ikorodu, where lives were lost in the process.
They all have one thing in common- love for
mass communication.
In Igbolomu, the rampant cult crises are usually
between Eiye and Aiye.
In this interview with Edo State born Ebagbhi
Lucky , 34, who was arrested on January 24, 2020,
after a clash with Eiye , he revealed that he was
the Chief Butcher of the Aiye confraternity in
Ikorodu.
The holder of Ordinary National Diploma
,OND in Mass Communication from the Federal
College of Technology, Akoka, Lagos, said his
ambition was to end up being a journalist.
From Cultism to yahoo
Asked how he joined cultism, he said: “I joined
cultism in 2014 through a friend. He invited me
to a party . But on reaching there, I noticed the
atmosphere had changed from the normal party
I knew. I was initiated right there .
“After my OND, I went to study Computer
Operation and worked briefly in a cyber café
but left because of the poor remuneration.
“I branched into Yahoo online dating , where
I met a woman from Atlanta Georgia. She was
Suspected cultists
Recovered items
paying me 30 Dollars every month because I had
an intention to marry her.
Arrest
“ I was apprehended by Onyabo Security
Outfit during Aiye/Eiye clash. On that day, I was
on a motorbike, returning home, when I saw my
members and Eiye men fighting. Being the Chief
Butcher, I alighted from the motorcycle to restore
peace..”
This reporter interjected at this point to ask what
he meant by Chief Butcher.
He replied, “ The responsibility of the Chief
Butcher is to maintain and regulate peace among
Aiye members in the community. I did my best to
quell the fight but both parties did not yield. I had
no choice than to leave . I went straight to a hotel
around that area to relax. That was around 4pm.
By 7pm, Onyabo boys stormed the hotel to search
for those who partook in the fight. They found
none of them. But because I was well known as
an Aiye member , they picked me and handed me
over to the Police”.
Suspected cultists at Alakuko
He lamented that he had on several occasions
attempted to quit the confraternity to work hard
on his relationship with his online American
lover but could not because of his popularity in
the area.
Vain Promise
His colleague, Kazeem Sherif , (31), from
Kwara State has a Higher National
Diploma,HND in Mass Communication. Like
Lucky, he said his dream was to become a
journalist.
He explained that he was on the same
motorcycle with Lucky on the day of the fight but
never partook in it.
He claimed he was also forcefully initiated into
Aiye confraternity, by a friend who was into internet
fraud popularly known as yahoo.
Sherif said, “ My friend that lured me into
joining cultism said prominent persons in Nigeria
were cultists , that I would only get jobs if I joined
Aiye cult group. He promised to introduce me to
those that will help me get a lucrative job if I
joined . But since 2019, after graduation I have
not got any job, let alone a well paid one.
“ Nobody was injured or killed in the fight.
These guns(pointing to the exhibits) were
collected from those that fought, not from us.
Politicians’ largess cause of fight
•Lucky Ebabhi and Kazeem Sherif...
Igbolomu suspects
•Ganiu alias no friend
For Ganiu Ibikunle Obale, who confessed to
be a member of Eiye confraternity . He was alleged
to have killed his friend, Aloma , who belonged to
a rival cult group.
Surprisingly, a tattoo he inscribed on his chest
read, ‘ No friend’ , an inscription he was suspected
to have practicalised , in his alleged involvement
in the murder of his late friend, Aloma.
His members were alleged to have also killed a
trader and dispossessed him of cash running into
Millions of naira, during one of the cult clashes in
Ikorodu.
He revealed that he was newly initiated into
Eiye confraternity.
Hear him : “ I was initiated into Eiye in
December 2020. I am from Ikorodu. The recent
fight between Eiye and Aiye was as a result of
some money given to us by some politicians”.
Asked what the money was meant for, he replied
“ It is called owo adugbo (community money).
Each time they gave us the money, Aiye would
want to take the largest share claiming they are
more superior than us.
Another thing that causes fights among rival
cultists, especially Eiye and Aiye is women. For
instance , if an Eiye member takes a girl to the
party and an Aiye member tries to molest the girl,
it could lead to a fight between both groups. At
other times, a girl may be dating two rival cult
members. On getting to a party, if one of the
boyfriends sights her with the rival member, it
could also lead to a fight”.
The suspects have been charged before the Ebute
Metta Magistrate Court.
Former CNS, Ibas, pulls out of Military, celebrates 5yrs of stewardship
*5,099 illegal refineries destroyed 4,229 suspects arrested
By Evelyn Usman
THE pulling Out Parade Ceremony to
mark the official exit of former
Chief of the Naval Staff , Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete
Ibass, from the Nigerian Navy , was held yesterday
, at the Nigerian Navy Ship Quorra, Apapa,
Lagos, with the celebrant declaring that
the Navy under his watch was able to combat
various acts of criminalities in the nation’s maritime
domain, in 66 months. Statistics in the last
five years showed that 4,229 suspects were arrested
in connection with maritime illegalities,
while 5,099 illegal refineries were destroyed.
A total of 404 vessels were arrested, out of
which 13 were forfeited to the Federal Government.
In addition, 439 barges, 531 speed boats
, 2, 977 wooden boats , including 140 tankers
and 404 vehicles used for various illegalities
, were impounded.
Speaking at the occasion, the out- gone CNS
noted that the huge dependence of Nigeria on
its maritime resources could not be over emphasized
and therefore urged officers and ratings
to rededicate themselves to their
tasks and responsibilities , to ensure the safety
of the nation’s maritime domain.
He disclosed that some achievements were
also recorded in the areas of operational and
administrative infrastructure delivery, logistics,
as well as human resource management and
administration.
He said that the Maritime Domain Awareness
facility was sustained and expanded ,adding
that the Service also priotised force protection
like never before, by purchasing large quantities
or ordnance, as well as strengthened their
storage by widespread supply of standard amouries
and strict accountability.
He attributed the achievement recorded to
the efforts of his lieutenants and entire work-
POP: Immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, with
his Wife, Barr.Theresa Ibas, during the Pulling out Parade of Vice Admiral Ibok-
Ette Ibas in Lagos. yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Shonola.
force of the Nigerian Navy, and the procurement
of platforms and fleet renewal by the
Federal Government.
He highlighted some of the platforms procured
during his tenure to include : Offshore
Patrol Vessels ,OPVs, Seaward Defence
Boats,SDB, Fast Patrol Boats , ,I PBs, Inshore
Patrol Crafts, IPCs, Rigid Hull Inflatable
Boats (RHIB) and Riverine Patrol Boats, including
helicopters , training LST ships, survey
ships among others which he said were
either underway to Nigeria for delivery or at
advanced stage of building.
He said: “As it is said, to whom much is
given, much is expected, which is why in the last
66 months, together with you, that is, from the
Principal Staff Officers, Commanders at various
levels, officers, men and civilian staffs, we
had committed to this role put before us to tackle
the network of criminalities in the forms of
piracy, sea robbery, illegal bunkering, crude oil
theft, of illegal refineries, kidnapping hijack, trafficking,
environmental abuse and several other
infringements and infractions in our maritime
domain, and with the grace of Almighty God,
we have apprehended a great number of perpetrators
confiscated equipments of their dishonorable
trade, saved the nation incalculable
losses, ensured reliable persecution of crimes
and in the process drastically reduced the impact
of their unpatriotic and ungodly acts”.
“We also successfully carried out infrastructural
development in some of our locations.
These include upgrade of Naval Shipyard ,
reconstruction of NNS Beecroft jetty, completion
of a second NN reference of hospital , a
world class trauma centre in Calabar, Cross
River State and the construction of a standard
sports stadium in Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos, extensive
infrastructural creation take-off of the
Admiralty University , Ibusa, Delta state and its
formal commencement of academic activities
, now into the third year running.
“I make bold to say that some achievements
were also recorded in the areas of operational
and administrative infrastructure delivery, logistics
as well as human resource management
and administration.
“A number of personnel structures were
constructed and or renovated , associated facilities
refurbished and utilities restored and
strengthened across the breadth and length of
the country. The NN was able to make a commendable
breakthrough in the delivery of
quality houses.
“Training environment was generally upgraded,
training contents reorganized and several
aids including computer simulations were inducted.
Effective maintenance of these assets
was also taken into consideration with the expansion
of repair capacity, numerous docking
and major over hoards and acquisitions of
heightened maintenance skills to manufacture
levels”. Noting that the maritime environment
was strategic to the nation’s survival and
prosperity of the citizenry, as well as the maintenance
of the nation’s superiority in the comity
of nations, Ibass, urged officers and ratings
to rededicate themselves to their tasks and
responsibilities , as well as make exemplary
discharge of service the certainty of their lives
and a routine.
He further charged them to be unwavering,
undivided and have a single-minded commitment,
in order to deliver their constitutional
mandate, urging them to accord more support
to his successor, Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo.
Eminent personalities drawn from all walks
of life were present at Ibas’ Pulling Out Parade.