Days after a police Inspector was shot dead in Imasai, in the Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, residents have deserted their houses over the fear of arrest.
There was a violent clash on Saturday in the town between officials of the national border team and some residents of the community which resulted in the alleged murder of an inspector.
The police, however, said eight persons had been arrested in connection with the killing.
But speaking on behalf of the residents, a chief in the community, the Atunluse of Imasai, Chief John Odu; and a former Senior Special Assistant to former governor Ibikunle Amosun, Raheem Ajayi; said the town had become a ghost town.
Odu claimed that one of the residents was killed and had been buried while others had fled their homes.
The chief said, “The police came to the town and destroyed it because they were searching for smuggled rice.”
The community leader said the security operatives allegedly disrupted a burial ceremony in the town on Saturday.
“They also went to the Palace of our Oba at Imasai and destroyed it. They ransacked the whole house.
“They killed somebody and we have buried him. People are still in the bush, they cannot come into the town.”
Also speaking on the situation, Ajayi, who was an indigene of the troubled town, described the statement by the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun as one-sided.
The former SSA said, “Nobody supports killing of security men. However, lives of our people also matter; therefore citizens must be treated with dignity. No mention was made by the Ogun State Government about the man who was killed, the one in hospital and the palace of our Oba which was desecrated.
“In fact the place is now a ghost town on account of the security agents.”
Attempts to get the reactions of the police and Nigeria Customs Service failed.
While the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, could not be reached, the national Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Joseph Attah, did not answer the his calls .
Attah also did not also reply to the messages sent to his mobile line.
The state PRO of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwadah could not also be reached.
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