Image of fallow land
Residents of Oko Orisan in Epe area of Lagos State have cried out for help pleading to the National Assembly to come to their rescue after some naval officers invaded an estate in their community and attacked residents including the owner of the estate, Dr. Audullahi Saheed Mosadoluwa who is adjudged as their benefactor.
The concerned residents also raised an alarm for linking them to Area J to report Naval officers who are allegedly using the Lekki Epe Expressway as a field for their unlawful activities including extortion of food items from road users every midnight in the neighborhood.
They claimed that the military men were working with some suspected highly placed Nigerians to intimidate and harass some property owners and unlawfully taking over a large expanse of land legally owned by them in the Ibeju-Lekki LGA and Epe Area of Lagos state.
The residents are also worried about their safety in the area while also berating the violent altercation involving Nigerian Naval personnel and the mobile policemen attached to an estate owner, Dr. Audullahi Saheed Mosadoluwa, a.k.a. Ibile, who those Naval Officers attempted to assassinate in their estate in Oko Orisan, Epe, Lagos State.
The incident, according to the residents, occurred recently in what witnesses described as a targeted attack on Mr. Ibile, and it has triggered apprehension over alleged military lawlessness and the growing tension between security agencies within a civilian population.
According to eyewitness accounts, the conflict began last weekend when Dr. Audullahi Saheed Mosadoluwa’s son arrived at the estate and was approached by two men in plain clothes. The men, later identified as naval officers on an alleged surveillance mission, reportedly refused to provide proper identification when questioned by a police officer on duty.
The situation escalated into a heated argument, prompting Ibile’s son to intervene.Security sources also disclosed that the naval officers inquired if the young man was “the Ibile,” to which he responded negatively. Despite this, he was allegedly harassed by the officers.
A private security guard in the estate quickly alerted Dr. Audullahi Saheed Mosadoluwa, who arrived at the scene with three police escorts. By this time, the naval personnel had called for reinforcements, and the estate was swiftly and dramatically surrounded by heavily armed officers.
Ibile, who is reportedly familiar with most naval officers stationed at a nearby base, said he was alarmed by the presence of unfamiliar faces. Sensing the possibility of violence and danger, he instructed his police escorts to avoid reacting to any provocation or engaging in gunfire. He also directed his son to leave the premises, but as the young man attempted to exit the premises, a navy vehicle allegedly rammed into his car, blocking him from going out.Some minutes later, sporadic gunshots rent the air and the entire community was thrown into total panic. In the middle of this unfortunate incident, Ibile’s vehicle was struck multiple times by the irate military personnel.
The estate owner sustained bullet wounds but managed to escape. However, his police escorts, who reportedly refrained from returning fire, were overpowered and taken to a naval base, where they were allegedly paraded as criminals. One of the officers sustained a gunshot wound during the attack.
The residents were appalled by what they saw in their community while also declaring that there was no justification for the gestapo and crude action of the security personnel and that no one is above the law.Despite circulating footage of the confrontation, the Nigerian Police Force has yet to issue an official statement condemning the incident. Analysts said the silence from police authorities raises concerns about the safety of officers who were on lawful duty.
Meanwhile, conflicting reports have emerged regarding the motive behind the incident. An online report erroneously suggested that the naval personnel were deployed to prevent land grabbing. However, sources close to Ibile dismissed this misleading claim, arguing that he is the legitimate owner of the estate with evidence to prove.
Legal experts and security analysts have called for a thorough investigation into the assasination attempt, questioning the Navy’s role in what appears to be a civil dispute which should have been resolved without resulting in violent attacks. They argued that even if land ownership were in contention, the military has no constitutional mandate to enforce land rights.
Meanwhile, eye witness further confirmed that just last three weeks, Naval officers from the same base dispossessed some passerby of bags of rice to their base not until the intervention of the Area Commander of the area before they released the seized rice but the seized items was said to have reduced in quantity.
It was also alleged that it was the same Naval officers at Epe that attacked Chief Amoo and Mr Onakoya sometime in December 28, 2024 late at night at Epe Junction. The residents also appealed to the new Commanding Officer, Captain Solomon Olusola Ohunenese and Sub – Lieutenant EJ Edorge to help nip the crisis in the bud to avoid further escalation which could lead to loss of lives and properties.As of the time of this report, both Harmony Gardens’ vehicle and the police patrol car are still in the custody of the Naval officers.
The Lagos State Government and security agencies have yet to announce any investigative measures or disciplinary actions against those involved the residents alleged.In the wake of these ugly developments, stakeholders, including human rights groups, media, student union, trade unions, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), etc are calling for an independent probe, warning that unchecked incessant military aggression in the community could further erode public trust in the nation’s security institutions, they insisted there must be paradigm shift in the nick of time.