8th October, 2015
Eromosele Ebhomele
A four-man ad-hoc committee of the Lagos State House of Assembly, headed by Rotimi Abiru, has commenced investigations into allegations of human rights violation in the Majidun area of Ikorodu by naval and military personnel drafted to curb illegal bunkering in the area.
Abiru is the Chief Whip of the House.
The aggrieved residents of the community had petitioned the House alleging gross violation of their fundamental rights by the military personnel.
The residents further accused the security officials of incessant abuse, rape, physical as well as psychological torture of innocent residents, adding that this was the reason they seek redress at the Assembly.
In the petition they sent to the Assembly, the residents said over 200 naval and army officers of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF ) invaded their community (Majidun) with arms and ammunition to arrest illegal bunkerers and that these officers displaced people from their homes and assumed illegal occupation of these homes, churches and shops.
The residents also alleged that over 84 families were displaced by men of the force.
They also claimed that the military and naval officers had taken over their land and cordoned off the only major access road into Majidun thereby grounding all commercial activities in the area and that as a result, they could no longer use the waterways as all commercial activities usually done around the riverine area have ceased.
The petitioners alleged that their women were molested, citing a case of a 23-year-old girl (names withheld), who met with the committee and presented gory details of how she was raped by three officers and she promised to name and identify the officers as investigation continues.
The petition was signed by a coodinator for the residents, Prince A. O. Abori, and a secretary, Mr. Dare Ayeni.