Armed Hoodlums Sack Lagos Community, Attack Residents & Loot Properties As Police Wade In 

MICHAEL AKINOLA 

Many people were injured and millions of Naira worth of properties destroyed as heavily armed hoodlums sacked residents of Ajebo community near Agbowa in the Ikosi Ejirin Local Council Development Area of Lagos State. 

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the attack, which reportedly started on Monday continued till on Tuesday afternoon before the intervention of the Police Area Command and Agbowa Divisional Police Station.

Scores of residents of the community had abandoned their damaged houses for fear of being attacked by the armed hoodlums, who had reportedly taken over Ajebo in large numbers.

The Baale-elect of the community, Chief Ogunlaru Jamiu, while speaking on the incident, described it as the greatest horror that he ever witnessed in life.

The community head also stated that the hoodlums defied the presence of Policemen from Agbowa, who were mobilized to the area and attempted to attack Police operatives who were on a rescue mission.

He narrated, “It all started on Monday. I was at work when residents of the community called to inform me that about  two hundred armed hoodlums had invaded our community”.

H continued, “They took over the town and invaded homes, molesting and harassing residents with cutlasses, axes and guns”.

“My wife called me that they had attacked my house and they looted almost everything in my house – my electronics, electricals and even building materials that were kept by a female lawyer, who is erecting a building near us.”

The village head continued, “An elder brother of mine, Ayodele Momodu ,who was unlucky to have been caught in their midst was seriously injured before he was rescued by policemen from Agbowa Divisional. Police Station.”

“We were yet to recover from the Monday attack when again they came on Tuesday. This time, with more men and arms.”

“They came in multiple commercial motorcycles and vehicles brandishing arms and ammunition and threatening to kill anybody who dared them” Baale Ogunlaru stated.

“I had to call the police at Agbowa again to urgently go and rescue my family members and other people from the area.”

“When the Police got to the town, the hoodlums prevented them from taking the rescued people to Agbowa. They blocked the road and threatened to attack them.”

According to the Baale, “The Police had to make a detour and go to Ketu Police Station near Itokin to drop the rescued family members”.

The village head noted, “The hoodlums were reportedly brought by one Alatada, who had ignored the invitation of the Area Commander in the area for investigation

A Police source at Area N Command,Ijede in Ikorodu confirmed the attack on the community.

The police source, who pleaded anonymity, stated that it was the intervention of the Area Commander  that resulted in the safe evacuation of the rescued residents from Ketu to Agbowa.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, while speaking on the incident, insisted that the Police prevented an attack on the community.

She also added that the police had invited the affected parties with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem.

SP Adebisi stated that the Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Olohundare Jimoh, had already deployed the Tactical Teams to ensure peace and orderliness in the town