Some residents of Arepo in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State have protested against the killing of a 25-year-old pregnant woman, Damilola Fajana, and some other persons in the community.

The protest, which started on Friday and resumed on Saturday, was led by the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Solomon Atanda.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Friday that Damilola and two other persons were killed in a clash among members of the Oodua People’s Congress who were employed by the Federal Government to protect the pipelines, and some suspected pipeline vandals, who were mostly Ijaw youths.

Damilola, who was six months pregnant, was in her car when she was hit in the neck by a stray bullet.

During the protest, the residents barricaded the main entrance into the community for about one hour.

Some of the placards displayed read, “We are under attack in Arepo”, “Arepo, no longer safe”, “OPC limit your operations to the creek” and “President, save our souls in Arepo, please”.

A member of the community, who identified himself simply as Ola, told PUNCH Metro that the tragedy was avoidable had the OPC members been well trained.

He said, “Those people were not well trained. Arepo has always been peaceful until they came and started fomenting trouble. We don’t want them here again.”

The traditional ruler, Atanda, said he could not tolerate the militiamen in the community.

He said, “This is a case of the innocent suffering when the wicked are being punished. I never knew this would happen.

“The vandals are being assisted by those who patronise them. Those buying the stolen fuels are the bigger thieves.

“But I have decided to stop the OPC members from entering this community. If they want to come, let them go through the creeks to do their work. But for them to come and turn Arepo into a battleground, I will not allow that. I have no power to stop them from working since they were employed by the Federal Government.”