by Alexander O. Onukwue

An MC, named Chinedu Paul, had just met two of the more recognised players in the Nigerian industry of TV and event anchoring. The pictures he took with Pulse Nigeria’s street presenter, Chuey Chu and top TV multiple show host, Ik Osakioduwa, were happily shared on Facebook, after attending the latter’s mentoring event.

Paul would not live to read all the comments made by his friends on those pictures, as he would be mistaken for a Badoo boy, and burnt to death in Ikorodu.

This has become the ugly development from the unfortunate situation in Ikorodu, Lagos State, where more innocent people are now being randomly rounded up and maimed to death under the jungle justice mission of ridding the land of the Badoo cult. The dreaded cultists had inflicted – and are still inflicting – a reign of terror and a rain of terrifying acts on the town, varying from ritual killings to kidnaps. To counter them, certain residents have taken it into their hands to flush the cult and its evil out of its vicinities, but the consequence of such unbridled mass action has afflicted the community and families with more grief than was desired.

With the mob justice, the state of Ikorodu now is that persons (male, mostly) on dreadlocks hairstyles, weaved hair or long beards, would either need to trim or cut them off. A tattooed skin needs to be covered. In fact, if you have no real business there, simply avoid.

But it is good the Nigeria Police, Lagos State Command, are now stepping in.

A press release dated 4th of July from the Command appeals to members of the public for the need to now bear a valid form of identification as a starting point for curbing the menace. According to the Police, “this has become important and necessary because of a series of Police operations lined up in the area by the Lagos State Police Command led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations”.

As the order takes immediate effect, it behoves on residents to make the necessary adjustment and comply. To be sure, there is the Nigerian problem of a proper unitary means of identification, but the Police does not appear to be asking for BVN details here. It would suffice to present recognisable Identity cards from schools, offices, unions, or the more approved ones like Drivers’ Licenses, Voter cards and National ID.

It may not be absolutely sufficient to instantaneously bring the madness in the area to a halt but it is the duty of well-meaning residents to help the Police help them, which in this case, requires simple obedience to instruction.

Editor