Residents of Agiliti, Mile 12 area of Lagos are crying out over the excesses of soldiers attached to the community by the state government.
A curfew is currently in place in the area from 7pm to 7am as a result of the crisis, which occurred recently, in which members of the Hausa and Yoruba communities engaged one another resulting in 10 deaths.
Over 17 houses and 25 cars were also burnt in the process.
The soldiers currently abusing residents were drafted by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to maintain peace and order in the area.
However, it was observed that by 6pm every day, residents — those coming from work — who enter the community to access their homes are being manhandled by the military men.
Some of the residents said that they were being forced to sit on the road littered with shattered bottles, or to ‘frog jump,’ or to sing for at least 30 minutes before they were allowed to go home.
A nurse, Ms Kemi Onaolapo, who works in Ikeja, told our correspondent in her home on Friday that when she got to the military checkpoint on Thursday at 6pm — one hour before the curfew started — she was ordered to sit among a group of people on the road, who were also returning from work.
She said, “We were asked to sit on the road littered with broken bottles. They said we should be singing songs, both Christian and Islamic songs. As we were doing that, they commanded us to hold ourselves by the waist. A married man held my waist. I could not resist. I also held a man’s waist in front of me.
“We did that for 45 minutes, just 15 minutes before the curfew began. They shouted at us to run after the exercise. To another group, they commanded them to ‘frog jump’ for the whole time. Different people were doing different humiliating things. These soldiers’ excesses are too much. They should just search us and let us go.”
A bank employee, who lives in the area, and who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that when he got to the checkpoint on Wednesday around 6.30pm, he saw people forced to kneel on the road.
“The curfew starts 7pm, but the soldiers have made it 6pm. But what I could not understand is why they are torturing people. I was driving, so they just searched my car and let me go. But I was angry when I saw men in suit sitting on the road. What sort of rubbish is that?” he asked.
The bank employee, however, added that on Thursday when he got to the checkpoint around 11pm due to the nature of his work, he had to bribe the soldiers with N5,000 before he was allowed to go.
Femi Sanya, who works in Victoria Island, said if he would make it to his office by 8am, the official opening time, he had to leave home 5am every day — two hours before the curfew ends.
“They make people like us to sweep the road for 30 minutes every morning before they let us go,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents are alleging the soldiers of not extending ‘the practice’ to the Hausa neighbourhood of the area.
A female trader, Mrs. Priscilla Oke, told our correspondent that as of 6pm when the soldiers start ‘drilling’ those entering Agiliti, the Hausa residents at Mile 12 are still being allowed to sell their goods and walk in the street.
“The soldiers are discriminatory in this regard. I want to plead with Governor Ambode to look into this matter. It is what we have been passing through since last week. Their excesses are getting too much. Imagine them making a married man to hold my waist and sing. They need to be stopped. There is now peace in the area.”
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