How Civil Defence operatives destroyed our homes, belongings

Alleged assassination attempt on NSCDC boss
How Civil Defence  operatives destroyed  our homes, belongings

•  Residents of Ogun community seek organisation’s probe over human rights violation

More facts are emerging from the alleged assassination attempt on the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ade Abol­urin. Residents of Maba Island in Ifo Lo­cal Government area of Ogun State are claiming that they suffered untold physical and emotional abuse when their community was raided by the NSCDC operatives.

Even as the police said they were investigating the alleged assassination attempt on the NSCDC boss, residents of Maba Island said the “violation of our human rights by the NSCDC should also be probed.”

The NSCDC had, in a statement, alleged that Abolurin, who was on an inspection and assessment tour of disposable forfeited items, along with over 200 members of a committee raised by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, and comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army, EFCC, NSCDC and ICPC, among others, had a close shave when a police inspector reportedly attempted to open fire on the committee members in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

The community members, who claimed to have witnessed the incident, said they were the ones that actually survived being killed by the NSCDC members.

One of those who claimed to have been assaulted was a petty trader simply identified as Taye, who said she was beaten up and dragged on the floor.

Her words: “I was in my shop when they arrived, shooting in the air. They dragged me, our guest and my husband outside, and forced us to sit on the floor. I tried to beg them but they kept beating us, shouting that we were vandals. They threatened to take me and my entire family to Abuja as criminals. I told them that I am a member of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC). It was then that they allowed my husband to bring out his identity card. I thank God for one of their members, a woman. She pleaded that they should let us go. They later released us. I thank God that I was only beaten, not killed.”

Taye claimed that she never knew what transpired between the police and NSCDC.

Another resident, Timileyin Adebayo, who claimed that her house was raided, said the NSCDC operatives who were heavily armed stormed her room while she was naked.

“I was in my room sleeping when they arrived. I was woken up by the way they were banging on the floor. I shouted that they should hold on, as I was naked. Before I could pick a dress, they had broken into my room and saw me naked. They still ransacked the house hoping to find any empty gallon. It is only God that will punish them.”

Yet another bitter resident, Okoro Ejiofor, took Daily Sun round his house to see the extent of the havoc wreaked on the house.

“In less than two minutes after they arrived, no fewer than 20 of the Civil Defence men stormed into our compound. They broke my door before I could stop them. They smashed my window in the name of searching for vandals. If they had asked me to open the door, I would have done that without them destroying my property. I had to call my brother who is in the Army and he asked me to copy the number of their vehicle – and I did. Will they go to Arepo and invade people’s houses like they did here? It is simple; they felt that the poor men cannot challenge them,” Ejiofor said.

A leader in the community and an Islamic cleric, Alhaji Tajudeen Ogunse swore that there was no crisis between the police and operatives of the NSCDC. Hear him: “I was returning from an event at about 10am when a convoy of Civil Defence operatives zoomed past. They were all heavily armed. They immediately combed the area, from Oke Oko junction and took off to Maba area. As a leader, I quickly parked my car and walked towards the area where they were headed. I also called the officer in charge of Anti-Vandalism in the area, because I needed to know what it was about. He told me that they were on patrol. Shortly after I got to the scene, policemen, numbering about five, drove past me. They stopped the policemen and ordered them to get down from the car. The inspector came down and introduced himself. He was speaking with the colonel. After a few minutes, they entered their bus and drove back. I was shocked to hear in the news that there was an attempt to attack the Commandant-General.

“There were so many of them, and if there was an attempt, I guess the inspector should have been beaten up and arrested. The discussion between them was done at a point that, if it was true, he couldn’t have escaped. I swear that there must have been a mistake. Above all, there were cameramen everywhere who recorded the conversation on video. Let them produce it. It was on tape. Let them show where the attempt was made.

“The truth is that the community suffered in the hands of NSCDC.  It was not a peaceful visit. Maybe the CG did not know what happened. He should go round and see how his men destroyed our property, including a church.”

Chief Isiaka Ejalonibu, who also claimed to be an eyewitness, said that the community remained grateful to God that no one was killed. “It was a reign of terror in this area on that fateful day. Everyone ran into their houses for fear of being killed by stray bullets. I got to know that there was something wrong when I heard gunshots and everyone ran into the house. As a kingmaker in the community, I managed to walk out but kept a safe distance, wondering whether there was a war going on. I was busy counting the number of heavily armed men when a bus drove by. I was wondering who had the guts to come to that area after hearing such gunshots. As expected, they stopped the policemen and tried to drag them down. Then one of the policemen came down and moved towards the soldier.

“Few minutes later, they drove out of the scene. It was then that I knew that they were policemen and they were about five in number. All I want to say is that there is no pipeline in this area. In the past, we have heard cases of this area being used as a transit point from Arepo pipeline. We used to live in fear because of the activities of vandals, but today, most of them have been arrested and jailed. Even if they want to come on a legitimate business, they should have come peacefully, instead of destroying and raiding people’s property in the name of searching for vandals. The vandals are in the creeks.  Let NSCDC go and arrest them there and leave us alone.”

The policemen, numbering about five, were accosted by members of NSCDC who had cordoned off the entire area.

“We were on patrol heading back to our tent when we stumbled into a multitude of NSCDC operatives, all heavily armed. They stopped us, insisting that we should go back or be dealt with. At that point, the inspector came down and tried to explain to them. “The colonel’s attention was drawn to us and he came over. He showed the colonel his identity card and explained that they just wanted to cross over to their checkpoint.

“The colonel told him to hold on and went back to consult with the others. The colonel later came and joined us, and said that we should go back and wait a little, that the NSCDC team would soon be on its way. So we turned back. We were surprised that they alleged that we cocked a gun.

“How could he have cocked any gun when there were so many heavily armed men? Most especially, he cannot challenge a colonel, a major and a Navy Commandant that were in their midst. If there was an attempt, why was his gun not taken away from him,” the police source queried.