How militants abducted Lagos monarch from palace, shot wife, killed guard
Suspected Niger Delta militants invaded the palace of Goriola Oseni, the oniba of Iba, in Iba local council development area of Lagos state on Saturday and abducted the monarch after shooting one of his wives and killing a guard.
According to the eldest wife of the king, the incident happened as Oseni was about having dinner around 8pm.
She said they were together in one of the rooms when they heard noise coming from the direction o f the sitting room.
Thinking it was the children who were playing, the woman, who simply identified herself as “Alhaja”, said she went to caution them only to see “strange faces”.
“I was in the room with the King. He wanted to eat but decided to take his bath first,” she said.
“Suddenly, we started hearing noise from the living room, and it was the children who were there watching television. So, he asked me if I could hear the children making noise, and as we came out to caution them, we were confronted with strange faces.”
The woman said the “strangers” inside the living room were four, adding that she later discovered that others had surrounded the compound.
She explained that the attackers, who were communicating in Pidgin English, tried to identify their target.
She said they moved close to him and asked: “Na u b the king abi?’ ‘U b the king no be so?’”
After being convinced that this was the person they were after, they reportedly grabbed him in their attempt to whisk him away.
Alhaja said she resisted by holding the trousers of two of the kidnappers, and not even the shots they released into the air, would make her loosen her grip, until one of them hit her hard.
“The tallest among them hit me on the face, and barked: ‘U b witch?’. At that point, I let go of their trousers, and started pleading with them not to harm him. They forcefully dragged him away.”
The only belongings that the militants reportedly left with were four phones belonging to their victim.
The spot where Okanlawon was killed
Sunday Okanlawon, the security guard on duty, was shot dead during the operation. One of Oseni’s wives was also shot, but unlike Okanlawon, the woman is recuperating in hospital.
People thronged the palace to sympathise with the family of the monarch.
Security personnel also mounted strategic places in the community, which had people in groups discussing in hushed tones.
Speaking to TheCable, a middle aged man who refused to disclose his identity said the incident left everyone in shock.
“This is strange, really strange. I am an indigene of this town. I have lived here all my life. I am still in shock over what happened last night,” he said.
“This is an abomination. To abduct a whole king from the palace? The only problem we usually have in Iba is cultism, and maybe sometimes robbery, and the king abhors such. He usually advises the youths of the community to shun violence… We have been hearing of the activities of militants in some surrounding communities, but we didn’t expect them to take this dimension. These people are calling for war.”
Commenting on the incident, Dolapo Badmos, police public relations officer (PPRO) in Lagos, said efforts were in place to secure the release of the monarch.
She said militants, who had been displaced from pipeline vandalism, have taken to kidnapping, but that security agencies will not allow them make life unbearable for the citizens.
Badmos said many suspects have been arrested, saying the Lagos command of the police is collaborating with its Ogun counterpart to check the activities of militants.
“This is a new trend being employed by the hoodlums who are originally pipeline vandals tagged: militants,” she told TheCable.
“It’s because their vandalism activities have been curtailed that they resorted to soft targets mode of kidnapping. The command has been arresting them and rescuing victims. The latest case will not be different.
“The command is liaising with our Ogun state counterpart to ensure we put an end to this menace.”
Lately, militants have been raiding south-west communities surrounded by water.
Many residents in Ikorodu have fled as a result of activities of the dissidents who operate unchecked.
Your comment..why
Your comment..What’s Nigeria my beloved country turning into,GOD? And what is the government of the day doing to tackle this ugly situation?
Politicians leave senseless issues of political power contention and acrimony and face the basic issues of life – food and security.
this is serious! I urge the community to give total cooperation to the police to secure the release of the monarch before any misfortunes. I pray god bring him back save
Your comment..This latest been employed by these militants must not be allowed to stand in Lagos, because, a stitches in time they say saves. It is condemnable
Your comment..God Almighty pls. av mercy upon us..this is getting too much
Your comment..this is really rubbish. what is Nigeria turning into, God please help us
Your comment..Buhari is that what you plain for Naija people?
Your comment..It is only God that will safe and deliver us because fund meant for this kind of problem is been shared among these hooligans calling themselves politicians. God pass them
I read almost all the comments above, most people were saying God should take control. Which kind of rubbish is Niger delta boys are doing. They killed and displaced people in Ikorodu and some areas in Ogun State. They are stepping beyond their boundaries, this is south West not south south. when Northern were doing their boko they didn’t go out of Northerns region. To the stakeholders in the country and Yoruba’s leaders should take note, if any such occur again it may leads to regional war, if we can not fight the militants there people in south West will pay for it. Because this is becoming too much, Abduction of King, this is uncalled for.
wen d Oba of Lagos made his statement during election time, I quoted him as saying, he will kill all d southern nd eastern if they refuse to vote 4 Ambode wat did u say about DAT statement.. unah nava c anything yet oooo.
Your comment..This is very very bad and incredulous, but why some set of yorubas sound so tribalistic, why would some people like olarenwaju comment attributing the kidnap case to a certain part and people with threat of war. these type men who are full of ethnicity should mind their tongue before they throng the nation into war. nobody should link Niger delta with this as Niger have earlier said they will neither kidnap nor kill anybody
you makes sense.
Your comment..@ olanrewaju I think you have problem with your mind which is your control centre.if war should start as you wish, do you think you can kill an ant or you think you ppl can stand the millitants? pls discipline your mind n stop posting rubbish if you don’t have any reasonable comment,I know you really don’t have anything to say.
Your comment..This thing is becoming too much, that is how this militants of a thing pushed everybody out of Totowu and Imose in Ogun state and now it is kidnapping again. Government must react fast and do something about it
Saudi Arabia is coming to fight them but let them not Run when it’s time…
Your comment..I think the word militants should not be used here or any other place. Except where militants are involved. This choice of word will create confusion and possibly unnecessary reprisal on Niger deltas. This is a condemnable act I respective of who is involved. I pray he is rescued unharmed.
what a mess?
Your comment..
this is really pathetic!
I totally condemn the act!
it quite unfortunate!
may GOD save our king ooo
and grant the lost soul an eternal rest
Amen
Your comment..my name is Kazeem, is because the sin is too much but
let’s change our bad habit an beg god to forgive us.
check very well, are we sure this is the handy work of militant?
God will take absolute control. but let our gonverment take action in time procrastination is thief a time.
this look like the militant are calling for war if not so way talking a Yoruba king,will that solve the problem.if this happen it will not help anybody
Your comment..may God almighty save Nigerians and our dear country nigeria
Your comment..This is what we re saying; this country is becoming something else. This country is now a place where u cannot sleep in the night or walk free in the day time; May God help us in this country in Jesus name.amen .and we also have a lot of work to do as a citizen of this country because security is everybody’s business.
This barbaric act is highly condemned. All efforts should be made to secure the release of the King. One man killed in cold blood is as gruesome as many killed in pogrom.
Your comment..God help our nation Nigeria from this menace we are into, our law enforcement agency should do something before it get out of hand please.
Your comment..all what dis country need is prayer.
Your comment..what concerns Niger Delta militants with a Yoruba state? this joke of a thing should be kept aside, why tag them Niger deltans, is the word militant not enough to describe them, our Niger delta avengers have no problems with the Yorubas,kidnapping is never one of their antecedents and even if they start that today kidnapping a Yoruba chief is not a part of it, he is not a politician, so how is kidnapping him part of the struggle? the police said they have arrested some people,in Niger delta about where? did anyone of avengers, red scorpion or niger delta liberation force claim responsibility? how come the article gave it to them? finally, if the Yorubas are spoiling for war, then they should not be wasting time the south south/southeast won’t join hands, they should just make their between the two and is done, we’re not cowards, history is on our side and we were never known to brag, action they say speaks louder than words
Your comment..It might not be niger delta boys but politics and political bigwigs in action to create tension and confusion as means of achieving thier evil plans and eating more money. I pray that hand of God will protect Oba. polticains repent and Jesus Christ know before it is l’âge.
Your comment..God have mercy,this is an abomination,l pray the king will be rescued alive by the police.
Your comment..gosh,God help us.APC save our soul.
Your comment..May Almighty Allah save us from those evil doer nd hve mercy on us.
It’s sad for you to mention the Niger delta in this mess….they are peace loving people who the nation has milked dried…I believe they will never come so low to kidnap a citizen of this country for no just course…this news saddens me….there were illegal activities going on in that area before now and they knew of it and never reported it but now they are so quick to blame it on the Niger deltans….my final thought, this country will know no peace until the people who gave up all are recognized and treated adequately.
may God continue to guard us always too b
ad
Terable
God is on the throne.we keep praying for the peace of our dear country.
actually, I see no reason why Niger deltans militants will unleash terror on south west.this may be some frustrated militants whose illegal source or income’bunkering’ was curtailed,and were desperate to make living by kidnapping. they could be Niger deltans or mixed nigerians oil bunkerers.police,and security joint forces should switch to immediate action before it gets out of hand.GOD bless Nigeria
Your comment..He who knows a man killed a man. May Almighty God rescue us from enemies that knows us that we don’t know Amen
why calling them Niger delta. it’s only those that are close to the monarch that could have planed such act please lets look inward
Noffin much i sympathize wif d community @large may ALLAH sav d monarch nd com back savely
Your comment. kidnapping has always been the order of the day in both south east and south south, Boko Haram in the north. now they want to bring their culture and traditions to Yoruba land, abomination we will resist it
who told you, it was Niger Delta militants?,unverified stories!
Bad omen let this not continue as it will bring more bad name to perpertuators let there absolute peace in our father land war nd killng brings disunity…
Your comment The Nigerdelta vandals and hoodlums should not bring their troubles to Yoruba land,and if they do they will soon meet their destruction. Meanwhile all d problem causing Niger deltals should be sent packing,because they have nothing else to do in life than to kill,destroy,steal,brag,and complain.If they fail to go,let us use Yoruba powers like “juju ” to deal with d fools.
God of mercy deliver us in this Nigeria.
Your comment..WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT IF THIS CAN HAPPEN IN A STATE WHERE O. P. C IS MORE THAN MILLIONS SO , THIS BIG SHAME TO ALL YORUBAS
Your comment..May Almighty Allah HV mercy on our country & interfere to our problem
How intresting,this is to show the level of insecurity we are facing in this times a whole king of an Area kidnapped then Who cannot be kidnapped we need God to intervene in the affairs of this country since the police can’t do it anylonger
We must not live subject to pursue shadow,the issue of Niger Delta Militants should not be the issue if our Security systems has failed, you can’t accused some section when we are not sure these criminal acts have did not have the support of the entire groups
Your comment.. The group should be trace,
Instead of given it name(militants) it’s better to investigate to know who they are than than calling militant.
Southern part of the country should unit like the northern part for the betterment of the region than making an inflammatory statement.
Note that we are not like the northerners that few know their right, we are more learned and so very difficult to forgive and forget.
I call on all the S/west, S/east and S/south to have a governor forum and legislative forum to discuss the possible way out in the region.
Wish the king safe return.
My God wonders shall never end ooo what are all these i really feel for the old king chaii.
is there any prove that this people are militant.wat is militant coming to do in Lagos was militant written on there forehead?.pls let us be careful
Your comment..all I know is that God almighty will intervain
How do you know that It was militants came for that operation when did lagos become heaven on earth, u people should mind ur tongue and be careful on what you post.
Your comment..most people are saying God take control, yes he will, but remember God is not a magician, de right tin should be done, let please rain, notin gud has ever come out of war.
I think some politicians are trying to distabilize the country by perpetrating such evil act and trying to blame it to a particular region of the country so that fingers will not be pointed at them.its so bad that the country is becoming tribalistic. what interest will any one get by trying to blame some section of the country
It’s terrible obviously it’s incredible.Nigeria can never b united bcos our nation is not planned.the government failed to plan for his citizens so the citizens grow in same Maner of corruption,no value to human rights n life no respect for elders.Buhari govt has failed bcos his fighting even ppl that will help him succeed in office using EFCC n killing innocent citizens protesting for Biafra.Nigeria is heading for war.may God help us.
this nation need your prayer.
I think this has no link to Niger Delta militants. I urge everybody to mind him or her tongue.
Your comment..Only God can help us in Nigeria
actually I want to say this before everyone dat have been commenting here, not to take things too personal…… those that are behind this knows themselves, I won’t support anyone here bit I want u all to know dat when a group of terrorist does a thing dey claim responsibilities of their action that has been carried out, all this killings and kidnappings here and there are done by some hungry fellows who has got hand but can’t work with it…….
note this, before the ND Avenger came up there have been kidnappers here and there so this should not be attributed to the unknown….. and as for those calling for war keep calling for it I pray God to answer your prayers but you will only know the beginning but you will not get to the middle of it, neither will you see the end nor leave to tell the story to your children yet unborn……. I have said mine ooooo
In my own view, the political class is to blame. They armed the youths against their perceived enemies and opponents in a bid to remove all perceived obstacles to their aspirations. It then become extremely dangerous and suicidal attempting to disarm them. The security operatives would remain mostly reactionary in their approach as their benefactors are equally unprepared to reveal their identities and hideouts. When they are caught, the political class get often get them released.
My own fear is the ethnic coloration and tribal sentiments being introduced. With these. we might successfully put the nation on fire collectively. We must be cautious with our utterances and blame shifting.
It is our collective responsibility to salvage the nation from its present predicaments; corruption and political quagmire.