Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has promised to compensate victims of Fagba ethnic violence.
He disclosed this during a visit to Fagba, Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area to assess the level of destruction of properties caused by last week’s ethnic clash between Yoruba and Hausa community in the area.
The Governor read a riot act to miscreants and hoodlums in the area, he said the State Government would be hard and very decisive on miscreants if they refuse to turn a new leaf.
He said: “The level of destruction that I have seen here is colossal; it is unfortunate. Enumeration would start immediately by the two local governments. The council chairmen and all the community leaders will come together and come up with a list of those whose properties have been destroyed.”
“The security operatives are here; they can hear everything. We are using this opportunity to give notices to all the miscreants in the neighbourhood and that is why I am looking at you.”
“If you know that you are not doing any work and that you are one of the people that have caused this trouble, we are giving you the final notice because we are coming to clear this whole place.”
“We are coming to clear this whole place and we will make sure that you do not disturb or harass the peace loving people that we have in this neighborhood. We have Hausa community, Igbo community and Yoruba community and they are living well.”
“You need to look for what to do; we will not allow you to come and tarnish the image and the peace that we have in Fagba and in Lagos State as a whole.”
“We will make sure that we also come and see what we can do to help the youth. And once we do that, we are giving you an opportunity to remain law abiding and be peaceful. If not, we will be hard and be very decisive on all of you.”
“Please let peace rein amomg us here. That is why I have to come here myself today and I have seen the destruction and it is a big shame on all of us. I want to appeal, please let peace reign. Let us live like brothers and sisters in Lagos.”
“We will do the compensation as soon as we get the breakdown of the enumeration. We might not be able to give you all the full benefits but we will ensure that we do not leave you alone.”
“Please let’s be sincere about it. If you don’t have more than two shops in this place, don’t say you have eight. If you don’t have more than two rooms, don’t say you have nine rooms. That is the only way government can assist well and we can help.”
“I have come here to see things myself and I can assure you that we will not leave you alone. I can assure you that we will not leave you to bear the pains alone. Government will come and we will try and help out.”
Amongst those who accompanied the Governor on his visit to Fagba are his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Folasade Jaji,Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab and Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
However, Chairmen of Ifako-Ijaiye LGA, Hon. Oloruntoba Oke and his Ojokoro counterpart, Hon. Hammed Tijani, as well as leaders of the Yoruba and Hausa communities appealed to Governor Sanwo-Olu to assist them in ensuring that Fagba area is rid off of miscreants, who according to them are the architects of several violence and disturbances in the area.