By Ikemefuna Taire Okudolo
Lagos State – The Olotu-Ebi of Ereko, Chief Moshood Kalejaiye, has praised the Nigeria army and police for their continued presence in communities ravaged by pipeline vandals in border communities between Lagos and Ogun States.
Kalejaiye said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during the inauguration of Community Vigilante Groups for 15 Community Development Areas.
The event took place on Sunday at the Odogunyan Military Barracks, Lagos.
He said: “the presence of the armed forces in those communities that were victims of pipeline vandals recently is a commendable thing.
“Our community will not have known peace and be experiencing the tranquility we feel if not for the presence of these armed government agencies.
“So, our coming together to institute an equivalent of a “civilian JTF’’ will further the pace of peace and commercial development of our localities.’’
Kalejaiye, however, said that much more rehabilitation work needed to be done for the ravaged communities by Federal and state governments of Lagos and Ogun.
He told NAN that construction of a police station within one of the communities would help to strengthen security.
“We need to have a permanent police presence because this will go a long way to stop the vandals.’’
NAN reports that communities along the Lagos-Ogun border at Ikorodu area of Lagos were overwhelmed by pipeline vandals about two years ago.
Many lives were lost to the activities of the vandals until the Army and Police moved in to dislodge the criminals and restore sanity.