Fear of kidnappers sends Lagos council chiefs into hiding
- Africcon News
Africcon Report: Fear of kidnappers sends Lagos council chiefs into hiding
Africcon New Media – News
From: Africcon Media – Nigeria
Local council chairmen in Lagos now live in fear of kidnappers, Who Monday night abducted the chairman of Ejigbo council area, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan who is yet to regain his freedom five days after in spite of the N15 million already paid to his abductors as ransom on Wednesday night. Saturday Sun findings reveal that as a result of their colleague’s ordeal, other council chairmen have largely altered their movements in order to ensure their safety.
There are 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) bringing the total number of council areas in Lagos to 57. Gunmen had kidnapped Bamigbetan at about 11 pm on Monday while returning home from an engagement. His kidnappers later used his mobile phone to instruct his wife to pay a ransom of $1 million before he could be released. As at yesterday, several of the council chairmen in Lagos could not be reached as they have gone underground. Most of them have switched off their mobile phones while others have not reported to office since Tuesday.
A visit to some of the council secretariats did not yield any positive result as the council chairmen were said to have either closed early or that they did not show up in their offices at all. “I cannot say if the kidnap of Mr. Bamigbetan is responsible for the changes in the movement of the chairman. What I know is that the chairman has not shown up in the office since yesterday (Wednesday). You have to bear in mind that all Lagos council chairmen are members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that held its convention today (Thursday). You will expect that they will all be there”, a senior council official who pleaded anonymity told Saturday Sun. Another official said: “ Usually, council workers close at 4pm every day.
That is the official closing time. But the office of the chairman can remain open until 10pm if the chairman is around or if there is a council meeting. Politicians are not civil servants and you cannot say this is their closing time. Events in recent times may require that the council chairmen and even councillors change their working schedule. “One thing is obvious, since the kidnap of Mr. Bamigbetan, there have been changes.
The council chairmen in Lagos are no longer predictable. By that I mean their movement and the events they choose to attend cannot easily be predicted.” Asked if there has been increase in the number of security guards including the police going out with the council chiefs compared to what used to be before now, the official said only the council manager can answer the question. Council chairmen used to go out with one policeman sitting in front of their vehicles with the driver. Attempts to see any of the council managers failed as they were said not to be on seat each time Saturday Sun visited a number of the council secretariats within the metropolis. At the Ikeja local government secretariat located along Obafemi Awolowo Road, there were activities going on as workers gathered in groups near the gate discussing current affairs including the Thursday Convention of the ACN that has transformed to APC. When asked about the whereabouts of the council chairman, Wole Odunlami, an official said: “The chairman only came in briefly in the morning and has since gone out.”
His counterpart in Agege local council, Jubreel Ayodeji Abdulkarim was not in the office on Thursday and as at our lask check on Friday, he was yet to show up in the office. At Apapa local government secretariat, workers were seen in groups discussing. Some of them, who spoke with Saturday Sun, claimed that activities in the council were at a standstill as the council boss was yet to resume work. “Our chairman is not on seat. They are currently showing solidarity to help secure the release of their colleague.
They have been contributing money, so far I learnt that all the chairmen in the 57 LCDAs contributed N1million each and the kidnappers are still expecting more”, a council official stated. At Amuwo Odofin, activities seem normal except for few in the immediate office of the chairman discussing in groups. Those that spoke with Saturday Sun said that their boss was not affected by the attack but was not at work because he needed to join his colleagues to raise money to secure the release of the abducted Ejigbo council boss.
At Kosofe local government, the story is the same. Although the council boss was not on seat when Saturday Sun visited, some of the workers said that he was absent because of the party’s convention. “Yesterday (Thursday) was ACN convention and as you know, the future of the party would be decided at the meeting. Our boss has adequate security around him”, an official disclosed. Meanwhile, Saturday Sun learnt that the police are yet to get a clue as to who kidnapped or where the council boss was taken to.
According to a source at the state police command, the state government has decided to handle the case its own way by paying the ransom. “They do not want any casualty as they pray to see the council boss alive. We heard that they have already paid millions of naira to the kidnappers and the council boss would soon be released”, the source added.
“The entire council chairmen in Lagos have since besieged the various police stations to get more security details attached to them. We have obliged them and hope that such would not repeat itself ”, a senior police officer assured. When contacted on phone, Lagos police command spokesperson, DSP Ngozi Braide said that investigation was still on going. “So far the police have no lead as to who or where the council boss is kept. We are still investigating the matter”, she stated.
