Armed Nigeria militia marches through largest city

By JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press – 3 hours ago 

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The armed militia marched unstopped through Nigeria's largest city, firing shotguns and rifles in the air in what they called a protest against a radical Muslim sect responsible for killings across the oil-rich country.

The demonstration Thursday by members of the Oodua People's Congress highlighted the growing sense of insecurity and widening distrust among Nigeria's more than 160 million people and its major ethnic groups. Men armed with shotguns, rifles and machetes freely roamed the streets of Lagos without a sign of police, while passers-by shouted that their region of Nigeria should be protected — rather than the country as a whole.

"We don't want them to fight here in our Lagos because Lagos is for everybody, not for Yoruba alone, but for everybody," said Chief Orebiyi Ebenezer, a militia leader. "We need peace here in Lagos."

The Oodua People's Congress is a militia made up of Nigeria's Yoruba ethnic group, which dominates the country's southwest. The party takes its name from Oduduwa, the ancestor of the Yoruba race, and formed after military ruler Ibrahim Babangida annulled a presidential election in 1993 that many believe a wealthy Yoruba businessman won.

The group evolved into a quasi-political organization and likely receives the implicit support of major politicians in the region, though its members have been implicated in political violence and thuggery. Rumors abound in Nigeria's southwest that the group maintains a stockpile of firearms in a country where those weapons are strictly regulated by law, if not practice.

Those rumors appeared true as about 100 armed members riding in minibuses and marching by foot came into Lagos on Thursday, home to 15 million people. They fired long rifles and locally made shotguns into the air, unstopped by police as they ended up at Teslim Balogun Stadium, which hosted FIFA's Under-17 World Cup in 2009.

Leke Akintayo, a militia leader, said their protest was a show of force against Boko Haram, a Muslim sect in Nigeria's northeast that has killed at least 388 people this year alone, according to an Associated Press count. The group also claimed responsibility for the Aug. 26 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria's capital Abuja as part of its campaign for the implementation of strict Shariah law across the nation.

[b]"We OPC, we still exist," Akintayo said. "They should not fall (under) our hand. ,  This is our father's land."
He added: "We are going to retaliate if there is any bomb blast hitting any place. We are ready for them. Anytime, any moment."
[/b]How the group would retaliate remains unclear, but Lagos remains a melting pot city for Nigeria's more than 250 ethnic groups. At risk would be those belonging to the Hausa Fulani ethnic group, Muslims who dominate the country's north.

Such ethnic-based violence remains all too common in Nigeria. Since the nation became a democracy in 1999, tens of thousands have died in communal violence that cuts across religious and ethnic lines, but often takes root in political or economic issues.
Different groups in Nigeria's south have claimed they would fight Boko Haram if the government fails to stop the group, including militants in the country's oil-rich and restive Niger Delta. However, Thursday's march represented the first time a militia took the street armed to display and threaten using force to end the violence.

That threat mixed with theater at one point as one man holding a pump-action shotgun walked by journalists and said in Yoruba: "Should we shoot it for you?" He racked a shell into the shotgun and fired as he walked down the busy street filled with uniformed school children trying to get home.

Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hHht6wYW4gGjdVctS3cVWtJmtVQg?docId=685e9eb0b0cb4d57a2d588432fa16a9e

Abeg, make dem go sidon with their toy gun wey no fit kill chicken. their mates dey carry A-K 47, dem dey carry hunter hunter. When boko-haram dey make sounds like boom boom, we're hearing ta ta in response. When casala burst everybody go find him level. I hope say hold-up no go too dey seme border.

Wahala dey o!

afam4eva:

Abeg, make dem go sidon with their toy gun wey no fit kill chicken. their mates dey carry A-K 47, dem dey carry hunter hunter. When boko-haram dey make sounds like boom boom, we're hearing ta ta in response. When casala burst everybody go find him level. I hope say hold-up no go too dey seme border.

afam4eva:

Abeg, make dem go sidon with their toy gun wey no fit kill chicken. their mates dey carry A-K 47, dem dey carry hunter hunter. When boko-haram dey make sounds like boom boom, we're hearing ta ta in response. When casala burst everybody go find him level. I hope say hold-up no go too dey seme border.

Do you want to test your hypothesis, by volunteering to be shot with Opc's toy gun?

Aigbofa:

Do you want to test your hypothesis, by volunteering to be shot with Opc's toy gun?

I'm too big for that. Though i can volunteer my christmas chicken

VoodooDoll:

That threat mixed with theater at one point as [b]one man holding a pump-action shotgun walked [/b]by journalists and said in Yoruba: "Should we shoot it for you?" He racked a shell into the shotgun and fired as he walked down the busy street filled with uniformed school children trying to get home.

Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hHht6wYW4gGjdVctS3cVWtJmtVQg?docId=685e9eb0b0cb4d57a2d588432fa16a9e

We have not added Ilajes, Itsekiris and MEND(the true bad a55es of Nigeria- the Ijaws) to the mix yet!

afam4eva:

Abeg, make dem go sidon with their toy gun wey no fit kill chicken. their mates dey carry A-K 47, dem dey carry hunter hunter. When boko-haram dey make sounds like boom boom, we're hearing ta ta in response. When casala burst everybody go find him level. I hope say hold-up no go too dey seme border.

lol. This level of insecurity is not good for business and development. Politicians don spoil contri finish.

Interesting development, Obviously organised as the Police stayed away,

I'm not sure they would have marched in Lagos with AK47s without incident though.  But all this people chanting and daring Boko Haram is not funny.  If Boko Haram hits Lagos, it is innocent Northerners who are probably more Lagosians than anything else that will be hurt.  With Northerners retaliating up North. - I suppose we will then all count our dead after that.

An unidentified member of Oodua People's Congress militia walks with a weapon on a major street, during a protest against Boko Haram in Lagos, Nigeria,Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. The militia group from Nigeria's southwest walked through the streets of the commercial capital firing rifles as police and security forces fled. The group said they were protesting the rise of Boko Haram, a violent Muslim sect in the country's northeast which they claim are responsible for bombings and assassinations. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

http://www.apimages.com/Search.aspx?st=k&remem=x&cfas=__p&kw=sunday+alamba&kwstyle=or&intv=None&sh=10&dteaf=12%2F8%2F2011&dtebf=12%2F8%2F2011&PERSON_FEATURED_NAME=&TITLE=&SOURCE=&sort=creationdatelower%3Areversealphabetical&PHOTOGRAPHER_NAME=&rids=&city=&state%3Astatename=&phototype=&country%3Acountryname=&colorspace=&cfas=-1

A good development.

An unidentified member of Oodua People's Congress militia carries a placard with the inscription 'say no to Boko Haram soon', during a protest against Boko Haram in Lagos, Nigeria,Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. The militia group from Nigeria's southwest walked through the streets of the commercial capital firing rifles as police and security forces fled. The group said they were protesting the rise of Boko Haram, a violent Muslim sect in the country's northeast which they claim are responsible for bombings and assassinations. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

An unidentified member of Oodua People's Congress militia walks with a machete on a major street, during a protest against Boko Haram in Lagos, Nigeria,Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. The militia group from Nigeria's southwest walked through the streets of the commercial capital firing rifles as police and security forces fled. The group said they were protesting the rise of Boko Haram, a violent Muslim sect in the country's northeast which they claim are responsible for bombings and assassinations. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Dem even carry matchete. Den wan kill nama? ROTFLMAO

An unidentified member of Oodua People's Congress militia walk with a gun on a major street, during a protest against Boko haram in Lagos, Nigeria,Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. A militia group from Nigeria's southwest walked through the streets of the commercial capital firing rifles as police and security forces fled Members of the Oodua People's Congress carried rifles and shotguns through the streets Thursday in Lagos as the streets remained devoid of security. The group said they were protesting the rise of Boko Haram, a violent Muslim sect in the country's northeast responsible for bombings and assassinations.(Ap Photo/Sunday Alamba)

These clowns are really funny.

Anyway, I hope to see Yorubas fight for once in their lives.

Armed Robbers

. ;d ;d

Noise makers! The swag sef no fit them, all for show.they should stop clowning and play the tribal politics they are known for.thats what they thrive on.war no be their field at all, lol, its like my mum going out in an apron with a kitchen knife to accost robbers when dad who is well armed is chilling.

With this protest they're actually inviting Boko-haram. Boko haram that didn't have interest in lagos before will now be considering Lagos simply because some buncha touts decided to showcase what they're best known for(show).

afam4eva:

Abeg, make dem go sidon with their toy gun wey no fit kill chicken. their mates dey carry A-K 47, dem dey carry hunter hunter. When boko-haram dey make sounds like boom boom, we're hearing ta ta in response. When casala burst everybody go find him level. I hope say hold-up no go too dey seme border.

afam4eva:

I'm too big for that. Though i can volunteer my christmas chicken  

lmao! Thats funny though true, You have made my day! Thanks,

afam4eva:

With this protest they're actually inviting Boko-haram. Boko haram that didn't have interest in lagos before will now be considering Lagos simply because some buncha touts decided to showcase what they're best known for(show).

Very well said!

jason123:

Very well said!

Make den come now. We dey wait.

Eko Ile:

Make den come now. We dey wait.

We as in? Your family or lagosians? I think you should start using "i".

Btw, are you a member of OPC?

afam4eva your mouth plenty which war you don fight apart from your internet fight them wetin you carry sidon for house dey chat crap.

Operation wetie reloaded.WE NEED TO BUY SOPHISTICATED ARMS FOR THESE GUYS so that yoruba territory will buy maximally protected from all these trouble-makers.Opc do not need to make mouth about their potentials,we have confronted the fulanis during the fight for ilorin,so no qualms.It is do or die,peace or war.yorubas are no longer ronu-ing !

lol @ you want make I test the gun for you,

~Bluetooth:

It is do or die,peace or war.

I think Lagosians will prefere peace or run. Who wan die.

With this sort of nonsense, how do we hope to attract investors into this godforsaken country?
How? Please, let me know, for it escapes me.
When I last studied Economics in secondary school, the key factors that attract investors include:

1. Adequate security
2. Adequate power supply
3. Availability of infrastructure
4. Accommodating business policies.
So far, we've failed 1-3 woefully! And as for number 4, fraud and spineshattering corruption no dey even gree us do anything meaningful here.

afam4eva:

I think Lagosians will prefere peace or run. Who wan die.

Outsiders will run as usual but we got no where to go and that is why opc are standing-by for code red !

~Bluetooth:

Operation wetie reloaded.WE NEED TO BUY SOPHISTICATED ARMS FOR THESE GUYS so that yoruba territory will buy maximally protected from all these trouble-makers.Opc do not need to make mouth about their potentials,we have confronted the fulanis during the fight for ilorin,so no qualms.It is do or die,peace or war.yorubas are no longer ronu-ing !

Empty bravado. If BH are attacking by stealth, i.e sending two people on a bike to deliver an explosive to a target (like in Kaduna), having all the weapons in the world won't prevent that. What you need is intelligence gathering to find out about a potential attack before it happens and then nip it in the bud.

It is highly unlikely that BH would come to Lagos for open confrontation or battle, so displaying weapons on the street solves nothing.

On a general note, this is a shocking display of lawlessness in Nigeria that illegal weapons, many likely used to commit crime are so boldly displayed on the streets.