Thursday
13 October, 2016 members of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) Ajegunle branch
under the aegis of Ajegunle People and Communities (AP & C) attended a Leadership
meeting called by the
Commissioner of Police through the Area B commander
(Apapa) where about eight District Police Officers (DPO) of Apapa, Ajeromi,
Pako, Kirikiri, Trinity, Layeni, Tolu and Amukoko police station were all in
attendance about 30 persons.
Equally,
all the Baales’ in Ajegunle, Market leaders (Iya and Baba Oloja) and
representative of other groups including the Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA on Security
affairs department representing the AJIF sole administrators were at the meeting
that started around the clock of 11:30am, which lasted for roughly two and half
hours. Actually, the meeting was centred on the current ongoing “security” challenges
that are gradually wearing the leather skin of sectarianism in the community,
which also is connected to the rise of unemployment and economic frustration.
After
much deliberations on the issues where the Aristocratic elites (Baales’) were
blamed for being responsible for the on-going thuggery war in the community, while
they try to put a defense over the recent crisis; where they were using some
section of the unemployed youth on sectarian war, also to carry on on the
exercise of victimizing market working class families in the Alaigbiagba market,
who on daily basis come to look for what their families will eat.
These
allegations were directly raise and put forward before them by the CP at the
meeting calling on the Baales’ to desist from such and ensure they resolve the
crisis going on in the community, for they are the one being responsible to the
series of youth clashing for some weeks causing restlessness in both the market
and community as one of the market leader in Alaigbiagba said.
While
this was noted in the meeting, it was equally unveil that they were using their
aristocratic and feudal authority through their “sect” to decide the running of
the market specifically “Alaigbiagba market”, they on several occasion
forcefully want to decide the running of the market, which at the end will lure
to clashes between them and people selling in the market as it does occurred
last week between the butchers and the Baale’s boys at the Abattoir section.
Also,
it was brought to the hearing of everyone at the meeting while looking into
other related causes leading to what also is not unconnected to the recent
cause. The Commissioner of Police said. “#45, 000: 00 is given to run each
police station once in every three months by the Federal government, linking it
to why some of the police officers can’t cover all the area of crime scene,
even to the point of getting most of the gadgets needed in the police station”.
For
this, he continued. It has prompts some of the police men to engage in all form
of illicit exercise that they do in the various unit. Why it will be difficult,
he said, to do transfer for some of the police officers (making mention of
Ajegunle) who have spent about fifteenth years in a particular station is
because, the Commissioner of Police in his words said. “The salary the Federal government
is paying some of these police men is not even enough to cater for their
welfare. That is why some of them embark into illegal exercising like illicit
raiding with the backup of some DPO in the station they give returns”.
In-between
the meeting, running for almost two hours, members of DSM who were in
attendance held at Ikeja Police Command try to make comment and raised concrete
suggestions as practical way forward when given the micro phone to talk. Some
of the Baales’/Seriki felt displeased and displayed uncoordinated temper psychologically
when sharp comments were made even by other persons present representing a
volunteer group in the community.
To
them it is an aspersion to further listen to other comments coming from faces in
the Ajegunle community especially DSM members they don’t possibly appreciate their
ideas, meant for building the mass consciousness to opposed the government
anti-policies of privatization; because of how it does uproot the failure of
the APC-led government implementing policies and program against the living
condition of the Ajegunle people between the edge and verge of poverty.
However,
with the tight restriction guiding comments of people including DSM members who
attended under the aegis of Ajegunle People and Communities (AP & C) were
able to suggest with the tinniest time given (i) a town hall meeting that will
involve rank and file working class families, residents, workers, students,
organizations, churches and mosques; CDA, Baales’/Seriki, the Police and
concern group and youth including both the market leaders and the Ajeromi
Ifelodun LGA representatives should be at the meeting to discuss the affairs affecting
the community; having related issues and find a possible way forward.
Also
proposing that (ii) an elected democratic working committee should be constituted
by all those that rented shop/tents at “Alaigbiagba market” to discuss the
recent issues around them and how possible to resolve whatever the market
traders think is the problem, instead of the reactionary tactics adopted by the
aristocratic elites using their “boys” to victimize market people who doesn’t
want to bend for their authority they forcefully collect levy from market
people.
After
which the meeting ended with some resolutions where the Commissioner of Police
task the Area B commander (Apapa) and the eight DPO’s present at the meeting under
Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA with the following:
i.
A
proper and formidable Voluntary Community Policing should be form by both the
Area B commander and all DPOs’ where all Volunteer groups in the community must
be identifying. Equally, the AJIF local government must be involved in the
process to incorporate all the identify volunteer groups by ensuring their
welfare package is properly taken care of in order to avoid the direct
influence of the Baales/Seriki as it does occur in the past.
ii.
That
the market leaders should form something like Task Force to collect
identification of market sellers and through this, monitor the people causing
problems and disturbing the peaceful trading activities of the market of those
traders who come to sell their items in the made mention market: Alaigbiagba,
to earn a living.
iii.
A
town hall meeting should be called immediately all these are put in place
between 13 October to 19 October, 2016 for the entire members of the various
streets and communities in Ajegunle to come around and discuss, resolve and
adopt on the issues, where even the Area B Commander, all the DPOs’ and the
Commissioner of Police shall be invited as part of the discussion.
iv.
That
all police stations under Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA should have a working committee
specifically Ajeromi, Layeni and Pako Police Stations to begin to look deep in
the issues around them on what is usually brought at their table, including the
social vices in the community.
v.
It
was also added as part of the resolution by the Commissioner of Police that all
the Baales’/Seriki who most of them are landlord in the community should begin
to take proper identification of their tenant to know where the problem is
coming from.
These were the immediate resolutions put
forward in the meeting by the CP saying it shall start taking effect after the
report is given next Wednesday (19 October, 2016).
Fidel Davy (LIFEINSLUM)
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