On Tuesday, October 13, the police in Lagos docked 17 persons arrested for the alleged murder of the Managing Director of Lekki Worldwide Investment Company (Lekki Free Trade Zone), Tajudeen Disu, at the Magistrate’s Court in Oyingbo.
After listening to both the accused and defence counsel, Chief Magistrate Folashade Botoku remanded the suspects in police custody to enable detectives conclude investigation and charge them appropriately since a Magistrate’s Court lacks the jurisdiction to handle murder cases.
Disu was reportedly murdered during a protest by members of Okunraye Community of Lekki, who were protesting over plans to site an oil refinery in the area
Disu, an in-law to the Chairman of Globacom, Mike Adenuga Jnr., was killed along with others. The chief security officer (CSO) of Dangote Refinery, the company intending to build the oil company, was seriously injured.
Pending the advice of the director of public prosecution (DPP), and adjourned date of November 16, the suspects are to be kept in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department’s (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos for the first 30 days.
The incident brought to the fore the shameful menace of the characters known as omoniles, an illegal variance of land speculators who constitute themselves into outlaws with the public and the government watching helplessly.
According to Sahara Reporters, the villagers said they were on a peaceful protest against forceful takeover of their land by the Lagos State government on behalf of Aliko Dangote and Lekki Free Zone when policemen attacked them and killed two of the protesters.
The killings led to the violent conflict that took the life of Disu.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode ordered the police to fish out the assailants and bring them to book, and Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, confirmed that officers have begun investigation.
Owoseni said: “It was a fight between the community and the Free Zone people. He (Disu) had come out to calm them down. While he was talking to them, they attacked the MD and he died.
“They even injured three of our policemen.
“We have so far arrested 10 suspects and the arrests we have made are of those who were directly responsible. We are in the state of the operation.
“We would do a diligent investigation and we would ensure that those people behind the fracas and death – not just the people we see on the road are perpetrators – and there may be sponsors, are brought to book.
“We will go after these sponsors and I can assure you that we will ensure the investigation is carried out as speedily as possible and we will make sure they are diligently prosecuted.
“I have ordered for the arrest of the baale of the community. Other communities who want to take laws into their hands should learn a lesson from this.”
Two different but instructive reports have been likened to the reason for the incident that turned fatal.
One said in the morning of Monday, October 12 the Okunraye community in Lekki sighted Dangote Refinery workers and demanded they leave, saying the land had been taken from them.
Disu was said to have tried to calm frayed nerves when some hoodlums allegedly hijacked the peaceful protest and unleashed mayhem.
Another version said Disu called in the police to restore peace and policemen shot at the crowd and allegedly killed two people.
The report said the alleged killing angered the community whose members regrouped, reinforced and stormed the area for reprisal. Disu was killed while Dangote’s CSO identified as Col. Usman (rtd) was severely injured.
Ambode said: “The commissioner of police must do a thorough investigation to unravel the root cause of what … happened because [Disu] was on a peaceful mission to that place.
“I want to appeal to all our people in Ibeju Lekki axis that they should give peace a chance; it is in the interest of all Lagosians that we attract as many investors to the state.
“That is what we have been doing and have improved upon in the last four months. I implore everybody to be calm. We would get to the root of this unfortunate incident.
“I will like everybody to also know that we are trying our best but we can only appeal to our people to allow peace to reign in the free trade zone.
“That is the only way we can allow more people to be involved in this trade zone. Let me tell our people that we are on the right track for the kind of job creation we want to bring to Lagos State.”
I commend the dispatch at which the police arraigned the suspects. However, beyond the arraignment and the wait for the DPP’s advice is the onus on the detectives to do a good job that would prove the culpability of the suspects.
Over the years, miscreants masquerading as omoniles in Lagos, Ogun and other states have either maimed or out rightly killed fellow Nigerians for no just cause than that they bought land. The government looks the other way round.
I hope it is not because Adenuga and Dangote were involved in this case that the Lagos State government and the police are jumping up and down to get to the root of the matter?
Apart from the poor image activities of omoniles bring to the country, directly or indirectly, they have driven away potential investors whose industries can employ those of them ready to earn a decent living.
Regardless, the issue of the community protesting deliberate seizure of their land without compensation by either the government or investors must be condemned if it is true.
Yes, all lands in Nigeria are deemed to belong to the government. But the first step should have been for the government to address compensation before acquisition, to create an enabling environment for investors to move in unmolested.
Owoseni must establish that his men did not create more problems after Disu reportedly called them to quell disorder.
If it is true that policemen fired gunshots indiscriminately and killed two persons, the officers ought to face the music as well.
All the sides of the coin must be considered if this menace must stop.
I am happy Owoseni talked about sponsors. He should know better because so-called sponsors use the police and omoniles to grab whatever land they have interest in believing the government would do nothing.
