Lagos monarch declares curfew for festival, police on alert

The Lagos State Police Command has said it is on alert to respond to any security issue in Ikorodu.

 This is following some concerns over a trending flyer warning residents, especially non-Yoruba indigenes, off Ikorodu town between 10pm and 5.30am on Saturday, August 19 and Tuesday, August 22, 2023.

 Information on the flyer circulating on social media platforms as announced by the Olumale Eluku of Ikorodu, Chief Murisiku Oreagba, disclosed that “Oba Abdul-Kabir Shototobi has confirmed that this year’s Eluku Festival (Ikorodu Town) will come up on the dates above.

 “He advised both males, females, sons, and daughters, residents, strangers, car owners, Okada riders, Keke Marwa riders, drivers and especially those who are non-Yoruba or indigene of Ikorodu Town to please stay away from coming into Ikorodu Township from 10pm to 5:30am on the above-named dates,”

Advertisement

Contacted, Oreagba whose name was on the flyer confirmed its authenticity. He however said that the affected areas were only the centres of the town and not the entire town.

 Oreagba, in a telephone conversation on Thursday, said, “Yes. It’s in the centre of the town, not the whole of Ikorodu. It has boundaries, not the entire Ikorodu. It’s the old centre of the town. It does not affect everywhere.

“Like, on Lagos Road, people will be out, banks will operate, but at Ajina which is the centre of the town and Cele – those old centres – they are the affected areas. Those who live in the centre of the town are aware that we do a cultural event every year. At Ebute, people will come out.”

 The line of Gboyega Akosile, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was busy when called for a reaction.

 The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, however, said the command had no intelligence of any security threat in the area but the police are on alert to respond to any.

 Hundeyin said, “So far, we don’t have any problem in Ikorodu. Our intelligence so far has not gathered that there is any threat to security. We are on alert, we have our ears on the ground and we will do everything possible to forestall a breakdown of law and order and the people have access to us, so if there is any issue, you can be rest assured that we will respond quickly.”

A resident who said he is of the Eluku family, Omotayo Odesanya, told PUNCH Metro on Thursday that the festival would be held and only a few persons were entitled to be outside during the period.

 Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the flyer is true, saying it was important to comply with the directives.

But on his part, a resident, Saleh Muhammed, said he wondered why the flyer would be warning other residents to stay away.

Another resident, Bamijoko Idowu, said, “I heard only males are allowed. Some people also said non-indigenes are not allowed, but if we are all Yoruba, there should not be any discrimination.”