Fresh facts emerged, Monday, on the presence of more illegal aliens
suspected to be terrorists in Ijora area of Lagos, as revealed that the
suspects, who are Malians and Chadians, were occupying a three-storey
building owned by a state government.
However, investigations
revealed that the three story-building alleged to be used by the
suspected terrorists is also located on Aromire Street, Ijora, close to
the house that was raided last week.Last Thursday’s raid by the
Department of State Security, DSS, and men of OP Messa, led to the
arrest of two suspected terrorists and recovery of arms and explosives
in a building on Aromire Street, Ijora.
Monarch raises alarm
Lagos monarch, Oba Fatai Oyeyinka Aremu, who spoke when traditional
heads of major northern tribes resident in Lagos, led by the Seriki
Hausa of Lagos State, Alhaji Sani Kadiri Garuba, visited him in his
palace, said it would have been a case of the worse casualties in the
history of bombings in the country.
He blamed the government that
owns the building for the development. The monarch said: “You see, this
problem comes from the state government that owns that property. If you
go to the house in Ijora, you will see all these Malians there.
“They
are squatters and we have written to the state government concerned
several times without any response. Ask the Area Commander and the DPO,
they will tell you. On our part, we are trying our best.”
Without
mincing word, the monarch urged the Seriki Hausa of Lagos to call his
people, particularly those in Ijora to order, saying “I am not happy
with what happened because your people have been living with us here
since. I have been here since 1994 and this kind of thing had never
happened.
“We have been taking your people as brothers and
sisters. You don’t have to turn back and do this kind of thing to us. Do
something because I am not happy at all. Since that day (last
Thursday), I have not been sleeping. Please, let this stop. I am giving
them warning. Ijora is a no-go area for them.
“If they still
remain in Ijora, I will flush them out, Insha Allah. They should not use
Ijora as a base. Ijora is not a base for criminals. I do not tolerate
nonsense. Please, I am giving them warning again, they should leave my
domain. My domain is not meant for criminals. I am talking to you
(Seriki).
“Please, call your men to order. Lagos is a no go area
for bombings. These people referred to as Malians, Nigeriens live with
your people. Please, talk to your Serikis.”
Seriki Arewa speaks
Earlier, the Seriki Hausa and Chairman, council of Arewa chiefs in
Lagos, explained that the purpose of the visit was to commiserate with
Oba Oyeyinka on what he described as a sad incident, and to pledge the
solidarity of northerners under the Arewa councils of chiefs as
peace-loving people.
He said: “We will also like to seize this
opportunity to emphasise that for intensive security in our nation, we
appeal to the Federal Government to do more. Although it is trying its
best to check the menace, we urge them to intensify and broaden their
security scope, so that this kind of thing will never happen again.
“Lagos
is a mini Nigeria and anything that happened to Lagos will affect the
whole nation. Finally, I will like to also appeal to other agencies and
nationalities with the state to be calm and patient as we continue to
live in harmony with each other.”
93 suspects handed over to
Immigration Meantime, a total of 93 illegal aliens were, yesterday,
handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service, Alagbon, Ikoyi, for
onward prosecution.
The aliens, whose mission in the country could not be ascertained, were mainly Malians, Nigeriens and Chadians.
Their
arrest followed a raid by joint security operatives following the
discovery of a suspected terrorists’ hideout in Ijora area of Lagos,
last Thursday.
Confirming the arrest, spokesman for the Nigeria
Immigration Service, Mr. Muyiwa Odunubi, said the suspects would be
paraded tomorrow by the Command.
He said: “I can confirm to you
that we received 93 suspected Boko Haram members, who were handed over
to us by the Police and other security agencies.”
