The Oodua Peoples congress has said it would no longer fold its hands and watch Niger Delta militants unleash terror on the people of Lagos State in terms of kidnapping and armed robbery.
It has thus decided to join hands with the military to flush out the Niger Delta militants from Lagos.
The Publicity Secretary of the Gani Adams-led OPC, Barrister Yinka Oguntimehin, said: “We are taking no more chances.
“I think our tolerance has been mistaken for cowardice and it is time to act.
“Now we are ready to join hands with the relevant Nigerian forces to smoke out all militants that have constituted themselves as be the tail troubling the dog of Lagosians all these while.
“We have already moved into action and they shall all be smoked out and dealt with in no time.”
To show its commitment to the cause, the OPC, in response to the recent invasion of a part of Lagos State recently by men suspected to be militants, which resulted in shooting at some OPC members and the eventual kidnap of an Army Lieutenant, has joined the military in searching for the abducted officer and flushing out of the invaders.
The OPC team, led by Adams, working with the military have swooped on the sleepy town of Soba, Festac Area and environ in Lagos to quell the recent attack believed to have been masterminded by men suspected to be militants from the Niger Delta region.
The suspected militants invaded the area over weekend to unleash terror on residents and in the process kidnapped a military officer, simply identified as Lieutenant Gyan, while the OPC Coordinator in the Zone, Akeem Lawal, and one of his aides, Alao Joshua, were wounded.
Both of them are presently receiving medical treatment in an hospital in Lagos.
A combined team of military personnel from Ojo Cantonment, Naval Officers from Navy Town and a team of of the Gani Adams-led OPC cordoned off the creeks in the area to dislodge the terrorists from their hideout.
It was gathered that the suspected militants eventually bowed to the superior fire power of the team, resulting in several casualties on their side, while their hideouts were burnt down by the joint team.
Gyan was abducted in Oteyi area of Abule-Ado, Lagos, resulting to military personnel in Operation AWATSE being deployed to the area immediately to curb the activities of the militants.
It was gathered that the Lieutenant was kidnapped with his service riffle while on patrol along the axis at about 5.30pm.
His abduction sparked sporadic shootings that Saturday as a joint force of the Military and the Police invaded the creeks and headed for the kidnappers den, while another team headed for the hideout where the abducted Lieutenant was suspected to have been taken to.
Others remained at strategic points around Ijedodo, Abule-Ado, Totowu, Igando and neighbouring exit points to ensure that the kidnappers did not escape.
A fisherman, who simply gave his name as Aidan, claimed to have witnessed when the Lieutenant was kidnapped.
Aidan said: “I was coming to inspect my fishing net when I noticed some suspicious movements.
“One speed boat was at the shore with a man pretending to be carrying out repairs on it.
“Then all of a sudden, my fears were confirmed following deafening gunshots.
“As that was going on, I saw a soldier being dragged into the speed boat that I assumed was faulty and they sped off, shooting.”
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