•Ogalla

Residents of Badagry in Lagos State have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, to save them from alleged incessant harassment by some naval officers stationed in Badagry.

The residents also alleged that the officers indiscriminately extort money from innocent citizens as well as forcibly take fuel from filling stations, reports The Guardian.

In a statement by James Wusu, on behalf of Concerned Citizens and Residents of Badagry, Wusu noted that the incidences that started as one-offs have now become habitual, as the officers, often times under the influence of alcohol, shoot sporadically into the air to scare passers-by while collecting money from both customers and attendants in some of the filling stations.

It noted that the actions of the uniformed men have caused mayhem severally in the area and discouraged many patrons of the said gas stations.

According to the statement: “These men in uniform go from each gas station to another, shooting sporadically to scare passers-by while perpetrating their shameful acts. Many fuel attendants across the gas stations now work in perpetual fear.

“The statutory duty of the Naval Officers in that area is to protect the territorial waters and curb illegal fishing activities. But they seem to have abandoned all that for other duties. This avoidable situation needs prompt intervention from the authorities to avoid breakdown of law and order.”

Wusu added some of the residents have reported the activities of the naval officers several times to other security agencies, but regretted that nothing has been done to stopp their excesses.

“We are appealing to Mr. President to use his good offices to call these erring men in uniform to order and put an end to the incessant harassment and extortion of money being perpetrated to avoid break down of law and order,” the statement added.