ABEOKUTA – Residents of Olaoluwa community, Aparadija, Itele, Ogun State have appealed to the State Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, to help tame dangerous activities of a criminal drugs gang in the neighborhood under an alleged protection of unscrupulous security personnel.
It was further alleged that the security personnel were on the pay roll of the leader of the gang simply identified as Wale.
The community also urged the Chairman of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Brigadier-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), to come to the rescue of the innocent and law abiding residents of the area.
The leadership of Olaoluwa Community Development Association (CDA), which is coordinating the affairs and well-being of residents in the area is particularly worried over the criminally-minded group.
One of the victims of the gang criminal onslaught, Mr. Festus Adeniyi stated, “The gang leader, a notorious drugs merchant in the community has continued to terrorise residents and visitors in the community on a daily basis under the gang leader, Wale who operates his narcotics retail shop from his mother’s house under Powerline beside an open Community playing ground around Cele bus stop, Aparadija village, Itele, Ota along with his gang members and foot soldiers, were in the habit of barricading the road leading to the bus stop to harass residents, Okada riders, motorists as well as passersby.
He explained that this ugly incident also persisted in an attempt to extort them prior to any festive activities, carnivals, valentine celebration; birthday of the gang members and Thank God is Friday celebrations.
“Activities of these notorious narcotics peddlers have continued to attract similar gangs who patronized the drugs business into the community from far and near.
“Residents now commute to work and business places to and from in fear of being attacked on daily basis as both members of the drugs gang and those who patronize them openly smoke marijuana and taking other prohibited narcotics at every corners within the neighborhood.
“Some residents have decided to take another route which is a very distant journey to their various homes for the fair of being attacked by the Youthful drugs gang.”
He alleged, “Wale had several occasions threatened to deal with some of the community leaders who have dire to challenge the activities of his gang members and his “drug boys” who hawks the substance for him within the neighborhood boasting that he and his gang have top police protection.
“Evidence of his alleged protection by the police is often manifested as Police from formations within the division always storm the community mostly on Fridays’ evening to pick “Protection Fees” from the leader of the gang.
“The officers were in the habit of firing bullets into the air. This is meant to scare residents away while their presence and engagements with the drugs merchant lasted.
“Residents of the community are now appealing to both workaholic CP Frank Mba of the Ogun State Police Command and the vibrant and globally-celebrated National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) boss, Brigadier Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) to both urgently come to the rescue of the innocent and law-abiding residents of the community under the umbrella of OLAOLUWA Community Development Association, Aparadija, Itele, Ota Ogun State.”
