By Brown Chimezie
Miffed by the destruction of his farm house by a mob protesting the alleged killing of a man suspected to be conductor of a commercial bus, which rammed into two cows in Agbo Malu, Age Mowo area of Badagry, Lagos State, a community leader and pastor of The Truth Bible Church, Morogbo, Lagos, Ibukunoluwa Noah, has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to look into the matter and put up measures to avert such crises in the future.
In an interview he granted the media, the cleric said it was painful that all he had laboured for went up in flames, as the youths set fire to his yam barn, cow shed and shattered the windows of his farm house.
While recalling events that led to the incident, Noah said: “On June 27, at Agogo Igbala, in Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Badagry, Lagos State, I got a call that a commercial bus ram into a herd of cows crossing the Badagry Expressway, by Mowo bus stop.
“I futher learnt that the death of the cow led to serious violent protest, to the extent that we heard that a Fulani hearder allegedly killed a conductor of the ill-fated bus. During the protests, my farm house located in Mowo was attacked, a vehicle packed in the compound was vandalised and the yarm barn and cow shed were burnt to ashes
“What baffled me most was that, two days after, on June 27, I got a report that the conductor allegedly stabbed to death and his driver were alive and in police custody.
“This latest development is contrary to speculation and information that went viral in the social media that Fulani herdsmen killed a driver and a conductor. This misinformation almost led to ethnic war but for the quick intervention of the army and police who quickly restored order. I also commend Alhaji Imoru Usman, Sarkin Fulani in charge of Badagry/Seme border, for his intervention to calm the situation.”
On the way foward, Noah called on the state government to set up a joint security task force to regularly patrol Badagry and the border communities to avert further breakdown of law and order.
Noah also called for compensation for his property destroyed by hoodlums during the fracas.
“I have been on this land since 1976 when I bought the property from Oshuku Iyanbu family. So, my main concern is that I want justice because it is not my cow that was killed, nor am I a Fulani man. My property is fenced and my cow is within my compound, yet area boys broke into my compound to damage my property.
“I have already complained at Area K Police Command, where I was told that investigation is ongoing,” he said.
