Security alarm over influx of Almajiris

By Bisi Olominu, Adekola Afolabi and Mary Agidi
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Residents of some major towns and communities in Ondo state are now living in fear over the influx of some people (popularly known as Almajiris) from the northern part of the country to different locations of the state.

The northern region like other sections of the country have been recording high cases of COVID-19 which have led to the death of many people.

The towns  experiencing the influx of strangers in the dead of the night in the recent time include; Akure, Ondo, Ore, Ose and many parts of Akoko land.

Luck however ran out of a team of the Almajiris brought into Akure, the state capital yesterday, as the state COVID-19 Taskforce and some security operatives  assisted by concerned residents arrested no fewer than 19 of them allegedly brought from the northern part, despite the closure of borders by the state government.

It was learnt that they were smuggled into the state by Dangote truck carrying  cement.

Senior Special Assistant to the Ondo state governor on Security Matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, while speaking on the development confirmed that the state task force on COVID-19 had earlier returned no fewer than 18 people including Almajiris who illegally entered the state.

He explained that the returnees who were from Sokoto state were immediately led back to the Kogi state border to make sure they return to where they came from.

Dojumo revealed that the drivers that conveyed the young Hausa men usually drop them  or very early in the morning, describing the situation as worrisome.

His words: “It is true that some people from the northern part of the country tried to enter the state, but they were sent back to where they were coming from.

“The best approach is to return them to where they were coming from, and we have been returning a lot of them.

“There was a time we returned almost 27 vehicles with over 200 passengers. We have blocked all our borders now, headed.”

Alarmed by this frightening development when the state is putting up stiffer measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, some residents of the state took to their social media platforms to express their apprehension over the situation and called for immediate action from the state government and security agencies.

The residents attributed the development to a confirmation of the porous borders and sabotage by security agencies in Ondo State, noting that if not for the vigilance of the people with eagle eyes in Akure, the Almajiris would have entered the town unsuspected.

A source said they disembarked from the trailer at about 6am and were set to enter the main town when their luggage, the way they dressed and the children accompanying them attracted some people in the vicinity who raised alarm that attracted many others and Okada riders to the scene.

Meanwhile, the people of Irekari in Ose local government area of Ondo state have pleaded with government to urgently bring military personnel to Okpe/Idogun road, for the security of the border towns to be guaranteed.

Residents of the communities who spoke against the backdop of the increase in the influx of strangers into the state from other states, stated that it is obvious that only military could man the borders effectively.

The Hope gathered that angered by the compromise on the part of some security personnel, the people of the community, led by the immediate past caretaker chairman of Ose Local government, Mr. Dennis Adekunle, in company of the Divisional Police Officer of Idoani, blocked this route with logwood.

Surprisingly, the people of Okpe in Edo state who had been using the route to enter Ondo state came with Saw Blades to destroy the woods and forcefully opened the road for passage.

In a telephone interview with The Hope, the Onidogun of Idogunland, Oba Moses Bakare confirmed the situation and noted that he had briefed the Special Adviser to the governor on Security Matters, Jimoh Dojumo.

Contacted, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Tee-Leo Ikoro who confirmed the report, said they had been sent back to Sokoto State where they were said to have come from.