Some residents of the Adeniji Adele area of Lagos have absconded from their homes pending when the state government and the police will provide adequate protection for lives and property in the community.
Some of the residents, who spoke with our correspondent, said series of mayhem witnessed in the area were enough to make them abandon their houses until the authorities and the state restored peace and order in the area.
Our correspondent gathered that hoodlums, numbering about 200, had recently laid siege to the community and vandalised property worth millions of naira. They were also said to have robbed some residents during an attack launched in the wee hours.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the crime, observed that no fewer than 50 vehicles, including a bus belonging to the ruling All Progressive Congress, had already been vandalised.
It was also gathered that several residents were seriously injured with many of them attacked with machete.
Some of the residents, who spoke with our correspondent, alleged that the perpetrators were aggrieved area boys within the community who felt the community leaders had become a hindrance to their lawless activities in the area.
An eye witness, Wasiu Dada, said, “The incident occurred around 1am. I was looking at them through my window. They were so many that nobody could go out to challenge them. They were all holding dangerous weapons. Initially, they robbed some Hausa men, found outside at that time, of their money. After that, they descended on vehicles parked by the roadside and in residents’ houses and vandalised them. Most of them are boys from this area. Despite that, some of them used handkerchiefs to cover their faces. I still recognised few of them. Among them are Ayinde, Sule Pepper, Lagosi.”
Another resident, who simply identified herself as Kemi, said, “We saw them through a hole on our fence. When they discovered that we were there, they attempted to attack us. I heard them saying, ‘by the time we make their lives miserable, let us see how they will have time for us.’ Some of them that I saw included Ishan, Sule Pepper, Bala, Segun Bola, Omo Olopa and Ayinde.”
Meanwhile, a community woman leader and APC coordinator, whose two vehicles were vandalised, Mrs. Ola Williams, said she saw the hoodlums while they were perpetrating their illicit acts.
“I was on the balcony of my house around 2am when I saw them destroying vehicles on the street. I recognised about 10 people among them and I believe they will all explain reasons for their action when they get to court. If they feel the community leaders are disturbing them, why didn’t they approach them instead of destroying their property?”
Williams, however, called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, to proscribe the activities of the hoodlums as he did to the members of the National Union of Rroad Transport Workers recently in Lagos Island.
“The governor and the police commissioner should rise and help us so that peace can reign in this community. As I speak to you, some of the residents have already started moving out because they cannot risk their lives anymore,” she said.
An aged woman, who simply identified herself as Mama Sunday, said, “Help us call on Ambode that we didn’t bargain for this before we voted him. Many people have been leaving this community because of the activities of these hoodlums. Where does he want us to go at this age? He should please provide adequate security for us and our children.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relation Officer, Superintendent Chike Oti, said, “Police had already commenced an exercise to comb the area and others on Lagos Island, especially over the recent activities of the NURTW”.
