Tension brewed in Bature community, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, following the alleged killing of the town’s youth leader by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The community alleged that the deceased, Eric Faturoti, was shot following an unlawful raid by men of the Civil Defence Corps.
According to a resident of the community who craved anonymity, one of the NSCDC personnel claimed to be acting on the orders of the Senior Special Assistant on Security to the Ondo State Governor, Olugbenga Atiba.
The resident stated that the operatives who were fully armed had attempted to make an arrest, which led to resistance from members of the community during which Faturoti was killed.
While pleading with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to investigate the incident and ensure that justice is served, the community stressed: “If the government does not take the necessary action over this case of the gruesome murder of one of us, we will be forced to protest and block major roads in Odigbo until justice is served.”
Reacting to the incident, NSCDC Public Relations Officer in the state, DSC Daniel Aidamenbor, described the allegations as false.
The NSCDC spokesperson disclosed that the taskforce was on a lawful duty to apprehend some suspected illegal miners in the area before they were attacked by the suspects with gunshots.
“Somebody died during the gun duel, and it was because there was an attack on the security agents, and they have to also find their way out of the place. It was in the defence that he died,” he said.
While denying any involvement in the incident, Atiba stated that it was a ploy to portray the Aiyedatiwa’s administration in a bad light, stressing: “I was not even in Ondo State when the incident was reported to have happened, and I never and will never order any officer or officers to raid any community or cause any havoc there.
“I am not in any capacity to order any raid on any community. My office is primarily for intelligence gathering to safeguard the lives and property of the good people of Ondo State and not to cause mayhem.”
Atiba, however, assured that the incident would be investigated while cautioning members of the community against taking laws into their hands “because the government will ensure that those who committed this dastardly act (if truly so) will not go unpunished.”
