Suspected Niger Delta militants have laid siege to riverine communities bordering Lagos and Ogun State, killing three mobile policemen in Ashagun village, a riverine settlement under Ibeju-Lekki Local Government.
However, there was heavy military presence in Ode-Omi, on Saturday, during the celebration of the towns annual Ode-Omi Day festival.
Speaking to Sunday Tribune, an elder in Ode-Omi town who declined not to have his name in print out of fear explained that, “We have military presence all around Ode-Omi town today. This is unprecedented. We have never had military presence during our Ode-Omi Day annual festival.
“However, this is so because in recent weeks, suspected militants have raided riverine communities around us.
“For some months now, riverine settlement like Imakun and Ode-Omi, both in Ogun State and Ise, Folu , Ashagun all in Lagos States have been under seige, suspected militants as these come into this villages in commando style to wreck havoc, leaving deaths in their trail.
“They recently killed three mobile policemen in Ashagun. According to what we heared, the militants were said to have stormed Ashagun a week ago in anticipation of kidnapping some engineers and expatriates working on a telecommunications mast located in the village.
“The militants, on getting to Ashagun, were infuriated when they did not see any foreign expatriate working on the mast. They, however, shot dead three mobile policemen attached to the team of engineers, and took away some of the engineers working on the mast.
“Since then, we in surrounding communities have been living in fear of their attack. We even thought the annual Ode-Omi Day holding today would be postponed due to he state of insecurity around here.
“But with heavy military presence, the Ode-Omi Day festival is holding in peace. The soldiers came in on Friday. We are glad we can, celebrate our annual festival.”
The soldiers were seen to have come in four military trucks. Some were stationed around the hall were the Ode-Omi Day festival was being held while some were seen patrolling the river sides.
