There was anxiety in Ogun and Lagos states on Wednesday after news filtered
in that suspected Boko Haram members had taken over the Sagamu area of Ogun
State and were heading for Lagos.
It was learnt that the news was spread through social media and
text messages.
The message read, “Breaking news, if you are on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
going towards Ibadan, please turn back. Eighteen suspected Boko Haram members
with AK47 rifles are on the highway now displaying their skills.
“Nine policemen and 11 civilians have been confirmed dead by the gunmen
while trying to stop them from shooting. Please rebroadcast to save a life. May
God help us in Nigeria.”
It was learnt that upon receiving the information, the various security
agency deployed their personnel in the affected areas.
It was learnt that policemen from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states visited Sagamu
and the Lagos-Ibadan Expresway with helicopters, while the Nigeria Security and
Civil Defence Corps as well as the National Emergency Management Agency rushed
to the scene, hoping to save some lives.
On getting to the scene, however, there was no sign of any terrorist
attack.
Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Umar Manko, said there was
indeed a confrontation in the area, but it had nothing to do with terrorists.
“In the morning, a truck laden with wheat around Fidiwo Village in
Ogun State broke down. Some hoodlums wanted to seize the opportunity to steal
some of the goods and there was a confrontation. There was no terrorist
attack,” he said.
Manko urged members of the public not to spread fear by broadcasting false
messages.
“We cannot police social media, all we can do is to correct wrong
impression, but we want to urge members of the public not to spread falsehood.”
Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the Nigerian
Army, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and
Enforcement Corps were able to move the broken down vehicle from the scene.
“Probably the rumour mongers took in the presence of police and other
security agencies who were at the point to clear the obstruction between Fidiwo
and Ogunmakin in Obafemi Owode Local Government and decided that there was
something wrong. We urge the public to disregard the rumour.”
The spokesman, NEMA, South-West zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, told our
correspondent that the military Joint Task Force had also been deployed in
Ogere as another rumour had it that 20 policemen were also killed in the area.
He said it was unfortunate that people had seized the opportunity of the
security situation in the country to evoke fear in the minds of people.
“Included in the response team on the false alert are military JTF, the
State Security Service, FRSC, NSCDC, police from Ogun, Lagos and Oyo
states with the deployment of police aerial chopper. They all carried out
searches and surveillance in different ways.
“The JTF is presently manning the Ogere end of the expressway when another
rumour had it that about 20 policemen were killed.”
The false alarm caused gridlock as many motorists were said to have turned
back towards Lagos.
Policemen at Kara, a border area between Lagos and Ogun states, were also
said to have mounted a temporary roadblock as part of efforts to forestall
entry of Boko Haram members
A senior police officer said, “We did not want to take any chances. We
checked vehicles, especially trucks entering into Lagos.
“There was traffic congestion, but after we had confirmed that there was no
cause for alarm, we allowed vehicles to move freely.”