Muheeden Olagunju wrote this: Before anyone becomes inclined to read political meaning to my opinion on the SOKA FOREST HORROR, kindly pause and let us be commonsensical about our comprehension of the whole issue. I will start by highlighting what we already know: 1) That people were indeed yanked off the streets and kept in captivity in some buildings located in the forest. 2) That several human skeletons have been discovered in the forest. 3) That a number of survivors were rescued from the forest and taken to hospitals for treatments for emaciation (caused by malnutrition and abuse) and various degrees of mental illness. 4) That survivors have told tales of torture, killings, rapes, rituals and other horrible practices. 5) Residents around the area have indicated that they had lodged several reports of suspected killings to the police but that the police usually replied by saying the forest is the location earmarked by the state government for the detention of destitutes who dot Ibadan metropolis and whose presence constitute serious threat to the urban renewal agenda of the administration. 4) That people from all walks of life have been besieging the vicinity of the forest and hospitals with faint hopes of finding long-lost family members. 5) That the police, other security agencies and the Governor of Oyo State with a retinue of his aides have visited the forest. The Governor revoked the C of O granted in respect of the property on which the evil was perpetrated. 6) That the Governor has ordered for a demolition of the structures that served as the killers den and in fact heavy equipment have been moved to the site. MY CONCERNS 1) The Ajimobi-led administration has been flaunting a self-acclaimed feat of excellent security of lives and properties. This horror in a rather easily accessible part of Ibadan raises serious issues of security lapses. 2) Is revocation of C of O a priority at this stage? What about the identity and location of the owners of the property. 3) Is demolition sensible when the scene of crime has not been processed for collection of evidence and forensic discoveries? 4) What are the state government and the police and concerned civil organisations doing to conduct possible identification of the decomposing bodies found at the scene? 5) Will the demolition not lead to loss of or tampering with evidence? 6) Is there really a nexus between the rumoured detention of destitutes in the area and the reality of the horror being witnessed? More than 120 people have been reported to have perished in that forest. What is being done to ensure proper investigation is conducted to determine the immediate and remote causes of the tragedy? Or are we in the era of another massive cover-up with the high and mighty in the society pulling the strings? And there is already the distraction of the police rounding up innocent bystanders and passers-by. Many have ended up in courts charged with a range of bailable and custodial offences. I saw lawyers at Iyaganku Magistrates Courts last week working feverishly to get some of the unfortunate lots out on bail. That reminds me: what has become of the Clifford Orjis case?
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 15:14:01 +0000
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