Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos
October 9, 2014 – Chairman House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike-Dabiri Erewa has appealed to the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, to look into the horrific traffic situation in Majidun, Ikorodu brought about by operation of men of the Nigerian Navy who are trying to curtain activities of pipeline vandals in the area.
While commending the Nigerian Navy for arresting the vandals, the federal lawmaker said thecriminals can be arrested without inconveniencing residents and commuters in the area.
She also called on the Chief of Naval Staff to look into the alleged use of force on road users by men of the Nigerian Navy, who stop and force motorists to carry the jerry cans seized from the vandals into Nigerian Naval trucks.
Her intervention is coming as residents endured a fifth day of blockade as men of the Nigerian Navy led an operation code-named “AWATSE”, which literally means SCATTER, aimed at dislodging the pipeline vandals in Majidu area of Ikorodu.
She noted that hundreds of residents and visitors spent several hours in traffic during the Eid-el Kabir holiday because of the gridlock caused by the military operation in Majidun, which incidentally is the only direct entry point from other parts of Lagos.
The Nigerian Navy says it has so far impounded over 2,000 gallons of petroleum products from the vandals.
Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ilesanmi Alade told newsmen that the operation, which took his men sleepless nights, was carried out following a tip-off from members of the public.
