Members of the Kogi State Vigilante allegedly shot some staff of the Dangote Cement company in Obajana and injured others while enforcing the state governments order to seal off the factory on Wednesday.
Recall that Truthlive.net had reported that the state House of Assembly had ordered the closure of the company following investigations which revealed that the cement factory allegedly had no valid acquisition for the company.
Dangote Cement is owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Following the incident, members of the mining and host communities have condemned the state government over what they described as the extrajudicial and unlawful deployment of the vigilantes to cause chaos in Obajana community which has enjoyed relative peace over the years.
The group was led by the state Director-General of Lands; Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Commodore Jerry Omodara (rtd), Chairman of Kabba/Bunnu LGA, Chairman of Ijumu LGA and the State ALGON Chairman, Alh. Taofeek; Senior Special Assistant on Job Creation, Dele Iselewa and Chairman of Lokoja LGA, Alh. Mohammed Dansabe, a local medium, the Advocate had reported.
According to a source in the community, “on their arrival at the main gate, a disagreement ensued between the thugs and the few policemen guarding the plant, as they shot sporadically into the air to disperse all staff and community members. “By this time, the vigilantes had succeeded in locking both entrance and exit gates of the company with many workers stranded.”
Also, a staff of the company said the vigilantes wielded arms of different kinds including local and assorted rifles as residents and passersby scampered to safety during the operation.
Meanwhile, the seven staff members of the cement company who were allegedly shot were reportedly being attended to at undisclosed hospitals over the gunshot wounds inflicted on them.
Some of the vigilantes were thugs drawn from the state security outfit, another source said.
In the same vein, spokesperson of the Oyo mining host community, David Oluruntoba, described act as primitive and disgraceful, adding that the youths of the community can never be used, and will not take part in such ‘evil practice’.
According to him, “They called us to join them. But I told them that the company has not offended us. We just signed a Community Development Agreement (CDA) and the company has been helping us and providing us with jobs. What has the government done for us, nothing. There is no basis to support the government.”
Similarly, spokesman for the Iwaa mining community, Rotimi Kekereowo said: “We would never support the government on this matter. What have they done for us? We don’t have a single political appointment at the state level. Even when we had problems with electricity and flooding, it was Dangote that was helping us. So, I want to repeat it, we will never support them.”
Also, the Olu of Akpata, Fredrick Balogun said he was never contacted and as such, cannot justify the unwarranted invasion.
“We are royal fathers, and we will continue to seek the path of reconciliation and amicable resolution of any misunderstanding. We don’t have issues with the company,” he charged.
According to a resident, Mathew Ojonugwa, “important issues like flooding which has rendered many people homeless in the state have not been attended to, “only to be chasing private companies that have been providing us with means of livelihood”.
“The state governor should face the issue of flooding and let the people live in peace. If there are issues, let him employ dialogue and resolve it rather than this kind of use of force,” he said.