Fear Grips Ojo Community As Hoodlums Sell Hard Drugs, Rob People

Some residents of Agric Community in Ojo Local Government, Lagos state, on Sunday lamented about increased in armed robbery attacks at their major bus stops.

The residents also alleged that the hoodlums sale and smoked hard drugs and at night robbing people of their valuables.

The residents said the hoodlums lives in the shanties built at the Agric Bustop which consist of six Community Development Association (CDA) and is located along Okokomaiko Road before Volkswagen Bus Stop in Ojo Local Government.

The community leaders are pleading to the Lagos State Government, to clear the shanties built by the hoodlums and station security personnel at the Bustops.

The CDA leaders who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that their bus stops were not secured to the residents.

They said that the armed robbers do come out from the shanties to perpetrate evil acts by dispossessing people of their belongings and kill anyone who refuses to oblige.

They disclosed that about 11 people have been killed and over 50 people injured and shot while returning to their various homes in daytime and at night.

Mr Abiodun Bamgboye, the CDA leader of Habib Community said the incessant robbery attacks at Agric bus stop had put fear in people.

“Returning home or going out among the residents in the area is a herculean task. The whole community is scared as our bus stops have now turn to armed robbers’ den and hard drugs zone, the shanties built by the hoodlums are the major hideouts of where they carry their evil intentions out,” he said.

He noted that in the day time, ”we see them display hard drugs they sell on their tables and smoke. They even display mixture of drinks with hard drugs.

“There are many people that have been killed and shot while robbing them, example is one Mr Stanley Mbosah who was killed last week while returning home.

“Most of us no longer takes our cars out of the community for the fear of being robbed by the hoodlums. We want the State Government, the police and Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agencies ( NDLEA) to come to our aid,” he said.

Another CDA leader of Olowotabutabu in the community, Mr Emmanuel Chukwudi said that there is need for Government to arrest those hoodlums that live in the shanties built at their bus stop.

“I want Government to help us station Police Patrol at the bus stops, remove shanties and arrest the hoodlums, their presence is causing agitation to inhabitants of this community,“he said.

In his reaction, Mr Salau Rasheed, a CDA leader of Ayedoto community also expressed concern on insecurities and sales of hard drugs at the bus stop.

“Our bus stop is no longer safe for even our children who are going to school, we are scared that the hoodlums may want to lure them to taking hard drugs,” he said.

Others that corroborate the insecurity of the communities were CDA leaders like Mr Celestine Igwilo of Otubu Community; and Mr Albert Mere, Secretary, Olugbemi Community.

They pleaded that there is urgent need for Police to help them arrest those thieves.

A resident, Mr Olawale Saliu, who is a renowned Lawyer living in one of the communities, said they are scared of the evil the hoodlums unleashed as they might extend their act to houses if not curtailed.

He, however, urged the security personnel in the area and Ojo Local Government Chairman to help them in clearing shanties where the hoodlums hide.

Saliu also urged the Police to help them station a patrol vehicle at the bus stops as it is now known to be a dangerous zone.