DAHOMEY THREAT!!! NIGERIA MAY LOSE OIL RICH TONGEJI ISLANDS

DAHOMEY THREAT!!!

NIGERIA MAY LOSE OIL RICH TONGEJI ISLANDS,

WARNS AMOSUN

………………………………NEW TERROR GROUP MAY

EMERGE

……………………………….KEY ACTOR SPEAKS TO

PAEDIA EXPRESS MULTIMEDIA EXCLUSIVELY

BY ABDULMUMINI ADEKU

NIGERIA HAS A LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH FRANCOPHONE AFRICA

The Ogun state government has cautioned against laxity that could make the people of the oil-rich Tongeji Island within the state suffer the same fate as Bakassi, calling on the Nigerian military to help secure the area.

The state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, blew the whistle in Abeokuta when he received the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Isidore Edet, in his office.

Amosun said he had mentioned to the president the challenges confronting the state in its attempt to secure the Island, which is a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic, but added that, more security presence apart from the  Nigerian Navy deployed to the area has now become imperative to ensure the country did not lose the Island to her neighbour.

The state helmsman commended the Nigerian military for its bravery and doggedness at efforts in tackling the insurgents in the North-east, particularly its recovery of a handful of towns that were once controlled by the notorious criminals.

He also lauded the military task force, ‘OP MESA’, for synergizing with the police to rid the state of criminals.

The governor assured that his administration would continue to support and encourage the security agencies in the state to be more productive, adding that ‘no meaningful development could thrive in an atmosphere of insecurity’.

Responding to the notion, the new GOC said Tongeji Island was one of the matters brought before him on assumption of duty, assuring that his report would be immediately forwarded to the Chief of Army Staff for necessary action.

In a related issue, there are palpable fears that a new  terror group may emerge within the Lagos and Benin Republic axis soon over the believe in perceived quarters of marginalization.

In an exclusive interview with the News Office Desk of Paedia Express Multimedia in October,2014,it was learnt that a lot will have to be done to pacify the riverine inhabitants of areas around Badagry and adjoining creeks who felt they have been badly treated by their fellow Nigerians in the past .

As at the last count at least five of those groups have started recruiting with at least three looking increasingly formidable .

There are at least 17 different cases pending in various Nigerian law courts as a result of perceived injustice meted out to  the various members of this groups..

The President of The Emancipation of The Rights and Development of the Gunuvi in Badagry in Lagos state ,Mr Hennu Solomon said that they were considering seriously as at press time of taking of taking up arms against the state of Nigeria due to top perceived grievances.

He explained that it was unbelievable that the people of Badagry were been treated like social lepers by fellow Lagosians in the 21^st century.  

He pointed out that Dahomey Empire where their ancestors actually hailed from in Cotonou in Benin Republic actually extended as far as Marina in Lagos Island  but for Border or Boundary adjustments during the colonial times.

He went down memory lane and recalled that it was the Dahomey war of the 1800’s between Prince Tofa and Prince Aho that forced their ancestors to relocate to their place of abode presently.

He revealed albeit exclusively  that at a point Nigeria’s boundary with Benin Republic was actually located at an area near Ajegunle fondly called Boundary in present day Lagos,but quickly added that this has now been moved to Seme in the present day  cartographic arrangement .

His Words:”They are calling us foreigners and minorities on our own land and we are deprived of our constitutional rights “
“we cannot aspire for any political position ,our people have been displaced from their ancestral homes in Makoko,Otoro Gbame,Saboukodji”

“During the colonial era,the water ways in front of the Nigerian Ports Authority [N.P.A]  that leads to Tarkwa Bay was called Port Novo  and Badagry Creeks and this is still in Nigeria’s present day map’

“They said that our king cannot be the Chairman of Oba’s in Lagos state and they want us to pretend that we are happy with all of this,no it cannot stand”

According to him ,there were several sons and Daughters of Badagry  that were involved in the battle to enforce their rights when the situation eventually arise .

He warned that having submitted a lot of petitions and told the whole world of their plight in the past with no solutions in sight ,they have no choice now than to consider taking the laws into their hands.