Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
They were four days of rage and anger. Many landlords, residents and traders in some parts of Ibadan, Idi-Arere, Sakapena, Oke-Ado, Kosodo, Oranyan, Asaka, and Ita Saku, would not forget the mayhem that shook the Oyo State capital a few days into the New Year.
More than 20 houses were razed, while nearly 50 shops were either looted or burnt in the mayhem that began on Thursday, January 3, and lasted till the early hours of Sunday, January 6.
When the reporter visited some of the affected communities recently, the owners of the burnt houses and other victims recounted their losses.
One of the victims at Idi-Arere was Alhaji Fatai Jebe, whose shop was burnt by the hoodlums.
He said, “I sell wine, motor spare parts and other goods. I lost everything to the incident. In all, I lost about N2 million.”
Another victim, Mrs. Akinola Modinat, 65, told the reporter: “I sell engine oil and spare parts. The goods that were destroyed in my shop were worth N300,000.”
Madam Mariani Jeje, an octogenarian, told the reporter: “I sell roofing sheets and other building materials. I have been here for 25 years; an incident like this has never happened to me. The goods in my shop would be up to N4 million.”
Mrs. Fatimah Ashimolowo, a frozen food seller, also had tales of agony to share. She lamented: “I had three deep freezers in my shop, which I used to sell frozen chicken, turkey, fish and juice. When I got to the shop after the incident, I did not meet anything there. The three deep freezers and all the goods in them had been taken away and the shop had been razed. They were worth N1.8 million.”
Olayiwola Ogunyemi, an electrical/technical engineer, also counted his losses. Said he: “I have been here for the past 25 years. The items razed in my shop would be more than N4 million.”
Toyin Adetunji, another trader, said she lost over 800 crates of eggs and other goods worth about N2 million. She pleaded with government to assist the victims.
A food seller, Mrs. Bolanle Adesokan, said all her foodstuff as well as cooked food and assorted soups were taken away. “I lost about N1.2 million worth of goods,” she lamented.
Miss Balikis Olayiwola, who lived in one of the burnt houses, recalled the incident.
“The hoodlums started the operation at about 1am. We the occupants of the house ran out through the back door when we suddenly woke up and discovered that the hoodlums had set our house on fire.
“We could not salvage our property. They put fire on the roof. Some of us ran out in our wrappers. The only clothes I have now are the ones I’m wearing,” she said.
On his part, Mr. Opatola Abiola, managing director of Ariya Promotions, Idi-Arere, said: “All the equipment and instruments that I use for my entertainment business were burnt. I lost over N2.3 million worth of instruments to the incident.”
A landlord in Idi Arere also urged government to come to the aid of the victims.
“We reported the case to the police and the fire service. The police came late, but the fire fighters did not come at all. They claimed that some hoodlums inflicted injuries on one of their officers and vandalised one of their trucks recently,” he said.
Mrs. Oduntan, a landlady, said the brigands came in the night and started looting. She said she and others had to put out the fire in their buildings.
Another landlord in Idi-Arere, Akinlolu Ayoade, recalled that, “When the incident happened, we came out. The perpetrators are young boys from this area, and we know them because when we called the police, I saw many of them with guns, and I know them. I have gone to Mapo Police Station to report the case. We know all of them and their leaders.”
At Asaka, 12 shops were looted and burnt. Mrs. Dasola Abdullahi, a nursing mother, was a victim. She told the reporter: “I sell raw rice and beans as well as kerosene. We woke up on Friday, January 4, and I wanted to do ablution outside. Then I heard some noise, and people started running helter-skelter. But the attackers pursued us into our house with cutlasses. They carried kegs of petrol, saying they would burn the entire community. We begged them and they did not burn any house in this community. But they first of all looted the 12 shops before setting them on fire.”
A landlord in Asaka, Mutiu Adigun, said the crisis was caused by rivalry between a gang in Asaka and another group in a neighbouring community. It was gathered that about 300 masked youths stormed Eleruweere at Iyana Adisa and looted many shops before they set some of the shops ablaze. Six shops were burnt, while five others were burgled and looted.
One of the victims at Oja’gbo, Mrs. Olayinka Adelagun, a wine trader, said the hoodlums operated unhindered between 8pm and 4am in the night of Thursday, January 3: “I lost about N350,000.”
An apprentice, Miss Morufat Kareem, said her boss, Mrs. Toibat Mohammed, lost over N1 million in the mayhem.
On Monday, January 7, the deputy governor of Oyo State, Otunba Moses Adeyemo, and the state commissioner of police, Mr. Abiodun Odude, jointly toured the scenes of the mayhem. Adeyemo, who sympathised with the affected communities, said: “Government is ready to make sure that an incident like this does not happen again in Ibadan and other parts of Oyo State. We are going to do thorough investigation through the police to make sure that all those involved are brought to book. They will never go unpunished, by the grace of God.
“What government can do to assist the victims, the government will do. But the most important thing is that you should give us names of the perpetrators.”
Odude said the 11 suspects arrested in connection with the arson and looting were members of different gangs: “Already, we have arrested 11 of them. We have arrested four gang leaders, and we have seven more. We’ll get more of them arrested.”
The state police spokesman, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said security had been beefed up in the area, adding that normalcy had been restored in the affected communities.
“The commissioner of police has directed the officers drafted to the area to carry out intensive patrol as well as 24-hour surveillance to avoid further breakdown of law and order,” he said.
Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, also summoned an emergency meeting of all family heads in the areas to his palace on Tuesday, January 8. More than 250 chiefs were in attendance and far-reaching decisions were taken.
The monarch noted that, as the 2019 elections were fast approaching, family heads in Ibadan should report any strange thing in their areas to the police for appropriate action. The meeting also resolved to conduct a census of every family compound in Ibadan metropolis to create a comprehensive database of people living in every family compound. This would make it easy for troublemakers in each compound to be apprehended.
Director of public affairs to the Olubadan, Mr. Adeola Oloko, said family heads must conduct regular weekly meetings to strengthen family ties.
It was suggested that where a Mogaji becomes unavoidably absent in a family compound, he should delegate authority to the next in rank in the family. The meeting agreed that there was need for comprehensive database of people living in every family compound.
Oba Adetunji, who sympathised with victims of the mayhem, urged all the youths to join in stemming the tide of violence in order to make Ibadan more habitable for all and sundry, as law enforcement agents could not do it alone.
While thanking the Olubadan for convening the meeting, the Lagunna Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief Amusa Eleruweere, encouraged the first class monarch to conduct more of such meetings and involve law enforcement agents.