The situation in parts of Ikorodu is very worrisome. Many residents of communities in the area have fled their homes for fear of being attacked by militants who have taken over some of the communities. Some fleeing residents said life had become unbearable for them following the activities of the group. According to some residents, the militants have laid siege on the community for consecutive two weeks, robbing, vandalising, kidnapping, raping and maiming their victims with impunity.
They also steal domestic animals and raw food stuffs. Sources disclosed that the gang were armed with dangerous weapons in carrying out the incessant nefarious activities on the unsuspecting residents. Fleeing residents of Igboolomu community said that they had sent an SOS to the Lagos Police Command over the development. Full of fright, the residents added that many of them had to vacate their abode for fear of further attacks and molestations.
Mr Mike Faleke, one the fleeing residents told PM News that he had left the area with his family due to the criminals’ increased activities. “The hoodlums are pipeline vandals who have resorted to going to people’s homes to dispossess them of whatever they could find, including foodstuffs, goats, chicken, pigs and other domestic animals. “They have now moved to Isawo community where they take over their house.
“These criminals now ask the occupants to identify the wealthy people within the community after which they proceed to attack them. “There is a robbery attack by the militants in our neighbourhood during which a resident escaped to inform the police about the activity of the gang.
“But to the dismay of the residents, the police informed him that their schedule does not extend to the inroad but only on the main road,’’ he said. A school teacher, who simply gave his name as Ayo, claimed that with the nonchalant attitude of the police to their plight, the militant were now on the loose, ravaging the community. He said police had turned back on them, making them to ask "if there is any government in the state"?
The teacher said that the militants had restricted the movement of those who could not escape from 6am to 6 pm on working days, adding that at weekend they seized their operations. Ayo added that the weapons the hoodlums were carrying were highly sophisticated and could not be compared with that of the police.
Another eyewitness, Mr Musibau Alao, said that the hoodlums were also raiding filling stations. He added that the police kept saying that they were on top of the situation which was not true as the criminals had continued to lay siege on the communities.
When contacted, Lagos police spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, said that enough personnel, including the military had been deployed to the areas.
SP Badmos, however, advised the public not to “panic unnecessarily or move out of their homes. If the public have information about the gunmen, they should report to the police on time’’.
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