Peace seems to be returning to Gberigbe Orelade, a sleepy community in Ijede Local Government Area in Ikorodu, Lagos as men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police, combed the village to dislodge some miscreants causing havoc in the zone.
Reprieve came as the Orelade family, the original ruling house in the community, moved to take over the leadership of the community from usurpers who forcefully took over the community and declared a reign of terror for over a decade
A court ruling emanating from the tussle had declared Orelade and Ladera family of Gberigbe Orelade as the chieftaincy family entitled to produce the Baale of the community located in Ikorodu area of Lagos State in a court ruling dating back to March, 15, 2010
The activities of the hoodlums reached its crescendo Tuesday as the Orelade family, whose turn it is to take over the rulership of the community after the death of former Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi of the Ladera family, took the bull by the horn, to confront the hijackers with the assistance of men of the Nigeria Police.
The entrance of the men of the SARS into the community sent many of the hoodlum scampering for safety while a handful of arrests were made.
A mild drama ensued when women, believed to be wives of the fleeing hoodlums strip themselves in an attempt to evade arrest.
Their gimmick worked as the men of the SARS could not arrest any of the women aside four of the notorious gang members who were nabbed just as a shrine purportedly belonging to the group was evaded and destroyed.
A cache of arms and ammunitions belonging to the hoodlums were intercepted by the police who combed the community to fish out some kingpins among them named Lekan Ajigbowo and Akeeb Bisiriyu.
Those arrested include: Gbenga Oladeru, (aka Simple), Leke Michael, (aka Asore), Abolore Fasanya and one Saheed.
Indigenes who spoke with OrijoReporter confirmed that it has been a reign of terror in the community in the past years due to the nefarious activities of the usurpers whose stock in trade was violence rape and sundry heinous crimes.
Tunji Ajanaku, a native said the activities of the hoodlums received the backing of one retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Akano who pitched tent with the gang to ensure they always get away with their crime.
“They always commit crime and get away with it with the backing of the DIG Akano. That is why they were able to sustain their activities since the rightful ruling family secured judgement against them in 2010. They have made enforcement of the verdict impossible and we were almost giving up before this hope came alive,” he said
