=By Tobi Oyetunde=

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has promised residents of Ilaje community in Makoko that the Lagos House of Assembly shall look into the killings of four community members by some personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and Lagos State Task Force team.

Speaking on his behalf, Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the House made this known when he received protesting members of the community.

Numbering over 200, the residents of Makoko, who expressed bitterness at how their community members were killed, demanded that the State set up an investigation committee into the killings,  which occurred when some police officers and personnel of Lagos State Task Force team invaded the community, on 10th of May 2018, killing four  with many hospitalized.

Stressing the need for government investigation and intervention, Alex Omotehinse, General Secretary of Ilaje National Alliance Movement (INAMO), demanded that the state government swiftly move to arrest and bring to book all involved in the invasion.

He said, “Those involved are still moving around freely and nothing has been done to them. As a matter of urgency, this matter must be addressed, we want the police to parade the culprits and stop aiding and abetting them.”

He also urged the state House of Assembly to set up an independent panel of enquiry to ensure justice is done.

Also speaking, Adekunle Wizeman Ajayi, posited that the killings in Ilaje is taking a similar pattern to the forceful eviction that took place in Otodo Gbame, Ilubirin and other shanties in the state. Ajayi, who is the Secretary of United Acting for Democracy, noted that the government should always seek to help in securing lives and priorities of her people and not destroying them.

Similarly, human rights lawyer, Barrister Adeola Ilori stressed that such killings must be stopped while perpetrators must be made to face the consequences.

“Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done”, he added.

 

Responding to the protesters, Mr. Agunbiade said that the complaints of the people would be duly addressed. He also urged the protesters to always embrace dialogue stressing that justice would be surely prevail in the matter.

“You can be rest assured that your complaints today would be properly looked into”, he said.