Eleko community demands security as they claim to be under threat from suspected robbers

Residents of Eleko in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State are demanding increased security presence due to reports of suspected bandits allegedly infiltrating their community, following a viral video on social media showing armed young Fulani men and women being apprehended by angry residents on Monday, June 1.

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The video's release sparked panic among residents, who are now calling for urgent intervention by security agencies to prevent a repeat of a recent attack in Oyo State, despite the Lagos State Police Command describing the invasion reports as a false alarm intended to create unnecessary fear.

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According to the Police Command, there is no security crisis or coordinated attack in Ibeju-Lekki, Imota, Oke-Afo, or any other part of Lagos State, but some residents claim the incident actually occurred and are seeking protection from security agencies.

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A visit to the area revealed that many residents are apprehensive, with one resident claiming to have witnessed the arrest of suspects and stating that a group of young Fulani men were apprehended with a gun, a knife, and bundles of cash that an ordinary person would not be carrying around.

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The resident expressed concern, saying "We need the Police, the Army, and the government to protect us," and another resident who claimed to have participated in confronting the suspects stated that the incident began after guests at a hotel near Eleko Beach raised an alarm.

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According to the resident, "We received information from people lodging at a hotel near Eleko Beach that a group of suspected bandits had checked into the same hotel and occupied about 30 rooms," and upon confrontation, they found guns, knives, and bundles of cash that ordinary people would not normally carry around.

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However, none of the residents interviewed disclosed the name of the hotel where the suspects allegedly lodged, and residents further claimed that police officers later arrived at the scene and took some of the suspects away.

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A resident stated, "We don’t know who called the police, they released those who were not carrying weapons and took away those allegedly found with weapons, one of the young men was shot while attempting to flee, and the police took him away along with the others on Monday."

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The resident expressed fear, saying "This was how they invaded Oyo State, we cannot wait until our fate becomes like that of the people of Oyo," and a trader at Eleko Junction recalled the incident, saying she was suspicious due to the increasing number of Fulani people in Eleko.

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The trader stated, "We don’t feel safe anymore, many of them operate commercial motorcycles and transport us around, they know where we live and our movements," and shared a personal experience of being carried by a Fulani motorcycle rider who attempted to take her to a deserted area.

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In response to the incident, the Lagos State Police Command issued a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, describing the reports as false and misleading.

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The statement read in part, "Regrettably, the spread of this false alarm has already resulted in a tragic and avoidable loss of life, one Kulaha Ayuba, male, aged 24, a commercial motorcycle rider, was allegedly labelled a Fulani bandit by some youths in the community, acting on unverified information."

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The statement further revealed that Kulaha Ayuba was attacked and fatally assaulted, his motorcycle was stolen, and his body was later discovered in a swamp within the community, and following swift police intervention, 15 suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident and are currently under investigation.

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The Police Command condemned the dissemination of unverified information capable of causing chaos, inciting public disorder, and promoting ethnic profiling, mob action, or hatred against any group of people, and advised residents to disregard such posts and refrain from sharing materials whose authenticity has not been verified through official channels.

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The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding while going about their lawful activities without fear, and assured Lagosians that adequate security measures have been put in place across the state to sustain the prevailing peace and security.