Edo State: 31st December, 2022 the last day of year 2022 was an historical day for the people of Illushi , in Esan South East Local government of Edo State. The Riverine and agrarian community of Illushi has always been in the news for the wrong reason, but this time it is for a good reason.
The community has suffered series of neglect and communal crises that lead to death of many persons including Hon Jonathan Imawa, a former councillor and a chieftain of People Democratic Party (PDP).
The community has seen 2021 witnessed protracted crises that has kept the people and the Government of Edo state disturbed. Commercial activities in the community have been distorted, farming has drastically reduced and even the local council finds difficulty in collecting revenues from the market.
However, with the New Commissioner of Police in Edo State CP Adamu Mohammed Dankwara , there seem to be light at the end of the tunnel as the CP has ordered the arrest of all criminal elements fermenting trouble in the community. The CP has ordered the arrest of any person carrying illicit arm in the community after interaction with the executives of the Illushi Progressive Association of Nigeria (IPAN), the apex association of the community. The president of the Association Barrister Victor Giwa- and the executive visited the Commissioner of police to notify him and his team about the situation of Illushi community. The executives of the Association xrayed the many crises in the community, which included kidnapping, killings and intimidation by some group of criminal gangs operating in the community and pleaded to the CP to come to the aid of the community. The CP in reaction, warned that he will not tolerate criminal gang that will disturb the peace of any community in Edo State. The CP seeks for a collaborative effort between the youths and the Police.
On the 31st of December, 2022 through the combine efforts of the teaming youths who are now tired of the protracted crises and the activities of the criminal gang in Illushi and Uloshi community, and officers from the Divisional police Station (DPS) Ubiaja, and the Area command in Uromi, the youths organised themselves and entered into the market and stop the illegal collection of market dues by this criminal gang sponsored by some persons outside Nigeria.
The youths lead by Amos Uchene in their numbers coordinated activities in the market and invited the Edo State Council officers who have been hitherto deprived from collecting revenue; to come and collect revenue in the market unhindered. The Divisional Police Officer, Ubiaja police station has played a vital role in restore peace in the community. In an interview with one of our correspondence a market woman named mrs Ojata Janet said ‘I am very happy with what the police in collaboration with the youths have done today to bring peace and order in the market. I have been bitten by some group of buys who come to the market with guns and matchet, we couldn’t say anything, they treat us as slaves, take our money with force, but today that has changed we thank the police and the Illushi new youth group’’
The youths have warned that will hand over any person found carrying arms in the community to the law enforcement agency, they plead with the State commissioner of police to support them with more officers, they equally warned that some police officers are also compromising their efforts by leaking information to the criminal gang in Illushi, that those officers will be exposed and reported to the Commissioner of Police.