Ramota Ganiu, a family member of Waheed Ganiu shared her concerns for her cousin’s safety and that of her family
Religious Crisis: Extremists Go on Rampage, Attack Olota’s Ally, Ganiyu Waheed
At least one person was reportedly killed and two others sustained various degrees of injuries during a clash between suspected Islamic extremists and traditionalists on Friday in Otta, Ogun State.
According to a report from Voice of Awori News, a community-based newspaper, a group of men believed to be Islamic fundamentalists stormed the home of Waheed Ganiu, a traditionalist and ally of the Olota of Ota, HRM Prof. Adeyemi Obalanlege. The attackers killed Ganiu’s son and injured two other residents in what appeared to be a religious conflict.
A resident of the affected area, speaking on the condition of anonymity, described the extremists as a large crowd armed with various weapons and chanting in Arabic. This prompted some residents to seek cover while others attempted to intervene but were met with fierce resistance from the attackers.
“We were at home on Friday night around 11:45 PM when we heard Arabic chants like a chorus and rushed out to see what was happening. We were shocked to see a group of about twenty men, suspected to be Muslims, approaching our neighborhood with dangerous weapons and charms. The sight forced all the residents to scatter for safety. They marched to Mr. Waheed’s house, where he was with his family. My neighbors and I had to flee when we realized the situation was beyond our control. Later, we found out that Mr. Ganiu narrowly escaped while his son was killed and two other residents were injured,” the resident recounted.
When asked about the possible cause of the unrest, the resident expressed uncertainty but mentioned hearing that Ganiu had prior issues with the Islamic extremists, which led them to track him down.
He urged the Nigerian police and other law enforcement agencies not to relent until the perpetrators were brought to justice, calling the incident one too many in Nigeria.
In an interview, Mr. John Adesola, Chairman of the Irewole Progressive Estate in Ota, confirmed the report and cited deficiencies in security as a major factor contributing to the loss of innocent lives and property due to the religious clash.
“When I learned of the extremists’ invasion in the early hours of Friday, I quickly called the Onipanu Division of the Nigerian Police. They assured me they would act immediately. However, it took them almost an hour to mobilize their officers, during which significant damage was done. Had the police arrived within minutes of my call, the incident might have been averted. We appeal to all law enforcement agencies to act decisively until those responsible are brought to justice.”
A family member, Ramota Ganiu, shared her concerns for her cousin’s safety and that of her family, as the extremists who killed Mr. Ganiu’s 9-year-old son had vowed not to rest until they targeted her brother.
Regarding the possible motives behind the assassination attempt on Mr. Ganiu, she mentioned that the extremists had been attacking the family since 1999. She recalled an incident where the home of Mr. Ganiu’s late father was raided by these fundamentalists nearly two decades ago, with ongoing threats to her family since then.
She noted that in August 2023, Islamic fundamentalists, accompanied by a few members of the Nigerian Police Force, attempted to seize Mr. Ganiu and other traditionalists during the annual Isese festival in Ilorin. She asserted that it was only due to luck that Mr. Ganiu escaped to Ota, avoiding a potential murder.
In recent times, religious extremism and other insurgencies have become increasingly prevalent in Nigeria, and efforts by the Nigerian Police Force to curb these issues have not yielded results over the past decade. Read More
