OPC Joins Military To Wipe Out Militants In Lagos

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Chief Gani Adams faction of Odua People’s Congress, OPC has joined the military to smoke out the militants that seemed to have taken over Lagos State.

This was made known by Barrister Yinka Oguntimehin, Publicity Secretary, Gani Adams led Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, in response to the recent invasion of a part of Lagos State recently by militants, which resulted in shooting at some OPC members and the eventual kidnapped of an Army Lieutenant.

“We are taking no more chances. I think our tolerance has been mistaken for cowardice and it is time to act. Now we are ready to join hands with the relevant Nigerian armed forces to smoke out all militants that have constituted threat to Lagosians, ” he said.

Oguntimehin said following the gory development, OPC has already moved into action to smoke out militants in the state.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that a combined team of military personnel and members of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, led by Otunba Gani Adams, have swooped on the sleepy town of  Soba, FESTAC Area and environs in Lagos to quell the recent attack believed to have been masterminded by men suspected to be militants from the Niger-Delta region.

The suspected militants had swooped on the area weekend to unleash terror on residents and in the process, kidnapped a military officer, identified as Lieutenant Gyan, while the OPC Coordinator in the Zone, Akeem Lawal, was wounded with gunshots.

In a reprisal attack, a combine team of military personnel from Ojo Cantonment, Naval officers from Navy Town and a team of men of the Gani Adams led OPC, cordoned off the creeks in the area to dislodge the arsonists from their hideout.

It was gathered that the suspected militants, eventually bowed to the superior fire power of the team, resulting in several casualties on the side of the militants, while their hideouts were burnt down by the joint team.

The abduction of Lieutenant Gyan at the Ijedodo area of Abule-Ado, Lagos forced the military to deploy personnel under an operational code name AWATSE to the area immediately to curb the activities of the militants.

It was gathered that the Lieutenant was kidnapped with his service riffle while on patrol along the axis at about 5.30pm.

His abduction sparked up sporadic shootings last Saturday as a joint team of the military and the police invaded the creeks and headed for the kidnappers den while another team headed for the hideout where the abducted Lieutenant was suspected to have been taken to.

Others remained at the strategic points around Ijedodo, Abule-Ado, Totowu, Igando and neighbouring exit points, to ensure that the kidnappers did not escape.