LAGOS — FOLLOWING the murder of a 28-year old man, Mr. Cosmos Iwuji, allegedly killed last Friday by people suspected to be ritualists in the Oregun area of Ikeja, Lagos State, hundreds of protesters from the Igbo community in Oregun area, yesterday stormed the state Secretariat condemning what they termed as “dastardly killing of Iwuji by “Oro ritualists.”
The state Deputy Governor, Mr. Femi Pedro while addressing the protesters, led by Chief E.A Njoku, leader of Igbo communities in the area, pledged that the state government would ensure that the culprits were identified and brought to book. He asked them to remain calm in the interest of peace and tranquility.
The placard-carrying protesters alleged that Iwuji was killed for ritual purposes. The victim was murdered last Friday night at 34B, Oregun street with his body hung on a gate.
Addressing the crowd, and later their leaders at a closed door meeting. the Deputy Governor said that the incident called for display of maturity, resilience and patience. He praised the decision of the Igbo leaders for choosing to register their protest peacefully with the government rather than engaging in acts of reprisals.
Mr. Pedro noted that the Igbo have lived peacefully with their Yoruba hosts for many years, prompting the conferment of chieftaincy titles on some Igbo leaders in the community. He therefore urged his audience to discountenance the belief that the Igbo are despised by the Yoruba or that the murder has ethnic colouration. Rather, Mr. Pedro posited that what happened was a criminal act and would be dealt with as such.
He explained that in as much as there is freedom of worship and the right to observe their tradition, such rights could not be the licence for taking lives.
Pedro told the crowd that some arrests had been made, while the police is already investigating the incident.
According to him, the investigation would not be an endless one. Those found guilty would be charged to court and dealt with appropriately to avert a re-occurrence he added. Describing the event as a sad one, the deputy governor said no stone would be left unturned.
“People are bound to be touched by the gory picture of the young man who had a brighter future ahead of him. It is even more terrible that he was innocent. We will never condone anything of this nature.
“I have interviewed the police. The DPO (Divisional Police Officer), Alausa police station just left my office. We are going to follow the matter to a logical conclusion”, Pedro said. Mr Pedro therefore called on police authorities in the state to expedite action on the investigation of the murder and promised to convene a meeting between the leaders of the two tribes in the community.
A delegation comprising the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs. Remi Adikwu-Bakare, her Special Duties counterpart, Chief Dele Ajomale and the Special Adviser on Political Affairs to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Lanre Ogunyerni later paid the family of the deceased a condolence visit.
