It was a day of horror for residents of Abule-Egba, Alagbado, Alakuko, Meiran, Sango areas of Lagos and Ogun States on Saturday as hundreds of suspected robbers and gang members allegedly embarked on street-to-street robbery for several hours.
NigerianEye also gathered that a yet-to-be identified landlord was also feared killed after suspected robbers attacked Micon area in Ahamadiya, a Lagos suburb.
The boys numbering over 100, were alleged to have also raided Mao Junction at Kola, Adenola Abiola, Adeneka, Dalemo fleacing traders and residents of their money.
It was gathered that the attacks commenced since Thursday after rival cult groups clashed in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State which spiraled into Lagos.
The hoodlums said to be between ages 19 and 27, were alleged to have taken advantage of the supremacy tussle to attack innocent traders and residents, fleecing them of their money and other valuables.
It was learnt that they move around with different weapons which they used to threaten their victims to surrender their money and allegedly rape women in some places, a development that forced most of the residents to pick up sticks, cutlasses and storm the street in self defence.
Raising alarm on the robbery through his Twitter account, a researcher Olagoke Sunday said: “Confirmed! “Boys” have started street to street robbery around Alagbado, Alakuko up to Sango axis. This might spread to other locations if drastic measure is not taken by the government.
“Please stay under lock and key indoors, be careful with movements around your hood. Avoid lonely areas and please keep safe. The next few days might obviously be more challenging.”
Corroborating his post, another resident @mayurz2007 said it was not a joke as a landlord has been killed at Micon area and the hoodlums were continuing their acts of looting shops and houses with no security presence.
A woman who said her family lives in Alagbado, disclosed that she contacted her mother who confirmed robberies were ongoing.
“I am scared. My family stays in Alagbado. I just spoke with my mum now and she sounded really frightened. She explained that the robberies have been ongoing very close to our street and places where our family friends live,” she said.
Although the Ogun State Police Command deployed operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Anti-Cultism unit and detachments from the Sango-Ota Area Command to quell the unrest occasioned by rival cult clashes that commenced Thursday, there are complaints these operatives were arresting anyone insight.
According to one Cypher, some of the policemen operating in a blue bus with no registration number were stopping buses and apprehending young men inside them.
He said: “Along Kola Alagbado side going to Sango and Toll Gate, SARS and Anti-cultism officials are jumping into random buses and forcing guys into that blue bus in the picture. They took me too.
“They are two guys not wearing uniform and the bus doesn’t have a plate number. The ones without uniform grabbed me and forced me into the back seat of the bus and threatened to slap me if I didn’t stop talking. I kept saying I didn’t do anything but they told me to shut up.
“I saw two other guys in the bus terrified and I was scared to my balls. They asked me for my phone and I said “please, check it”. They were surprised I told them to check it and I didn’t show my fear. I told one of them “well done” and I relaxed in the back seat.
“I use a galaxy S8 plus but I don’t have buttons on my home screen. It was frustrating for them to check my phone because he couldn’t use it. He gave it back to me and let me go. The other guys are still there and as I type this they are jumping in buses and pulling guys out of them.”
Police spokesman in Ogun Abimbola Oyeyemi denied reports of robbery incidents in Sango, noting that the people were apprehensive and raising false alarms.
He said the police have been on that issue for several days and have even made many deployments to the area but no resident has come forward to confirm he or she was a victim of the robbery.
“As I speak to you, we have large deployment SARS, Anti-Cultism and policemen from all the divisions in Ifo as well as the Area command to nip the crisis in the bud. We have been receiving alerts of robbery but till this moment, we have not identified a single robbery victim. I think the people are apprehensive and are just raiding alarms because of fear,” he said.
However, Oyeyemi on Friday confirmed there was cult clash in Ifo Local Government Area (LGA) which metamorphosed into robbery and other criminal activities and warranted the massive deployment of police operatives.
He also confirmed that the team commenced aggressive and intelligence based patrols of Ifo, Owode Ijako, Joju, Ijoko and Agbado areas, adding that their efforts yielded positive results as five of the hoodlums were apprehended in Ijako.
“They are Ekunoye Lucky, 22, Badmus Sodiq, 27, Showumi Femi, 21, Adeagbo Adewumi, 22, and Agboola Femi, 21. The patrol team also moved to Winners Church area along Idiroko Road where another suspect Adekunle Okeoye, 23, was arrested with a brand new locally made short gun loaded with five live cartridges and assorted charms.
“Also, the operatives extended their operation to Araromi community in Agbado where three other suspects namely Sulaiman Ogunbiyi, aka Absorver federal, Saminu Adamu and Nasiru Umar were arrested with face mask and assorted charms. Earlier, 10 of the hoodlums have been picked up at various locations in Ifo, Kajola and Ososun areas of Ifo local government by SARS operatives.
“The Commissioner of Police Kenneth Ebrimson has ordered that all the arrested suspects be transferred to SARS for discreet investigation. He equally ordered the continuation of the operation until the last of the hoodlums is arrested.
“The CP therefore appealed to members of the public not to be unnecessarily apprehensive as the command will continue to do everything within its power to ensure that the good people of Ogun state enjoy adequate security during and after this trying period of our dear country. He also enjoined them to reach out to the command through the control room number 08081770416 whenever they are in distress,” said Oyeyemi in a statement.
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Lagos Command, Bala Elkana denied there were robbery attacks in the areas under the state, insisting that it was cult clashes between rival groups.
He said: “It is not true that cultists robbed people. They had rival cult clashes in the area and as I speak with you, arrests have been made. The operation is still ongoing and so, I do not have the complete information at the moment.”
Post a Comment
Post a Comment