Some hoodlums suspected to be members of the Eiye
Confraternity invaded at least three streets in the Somolu area of Lagos and
destroyed about 50 cars.
A resident of Popoola Street, who did not
identify himself for security reason, said the hoodlums invaded Popoola,
Bashorun, and Ogunbadejo streets, shooting continuously into the air.
He said, “We were outside our houses on Tuesday.
But around 9pm, people started running helter-skelter as the cult boys entered
the street. We all ran in, but the shooting continued. As there was no light,
nobody could confront them.”
Some residents told our correspondent that the
hoodlums were over 100 and wielded weapons like ax, mortar and shovel, which
they used to destroy the vehicles.
A lady, who did not want her name in print, said,
“I saw them and they were not less than 150. There were so many young boys
among them.”
When our correspondent visited the affected
streets on Wednesday, he saw splinters of shattered windscreens on the road,
while some affected owners cover up their damaged vehicles with nylon.
Our correspondent counted 26 damaged vehicles on
Bashorun Street, eight on Popoola and two on Ogunbadejo.
A car owner, John Edith, whose Ford Jeep, Toyota
Previa and Honda CRV were damaged, told PUNCH Metro that over
50 automobiles were affected.
He said, “On Bashorun alone, 40 cars were
damaged. Some of the car owners have taken them for repairs. Seven of those
cult guys carried guns and shot sporadically into the air.”
A panel beater, Tajudeen Abdulsalam, said three
cars under his care were damaged and his clients had told him to get them back
in shape.
“They told me they wanted their cars back the way
they brought them to my workshop. I am now heavily in debt,” he said.
Our correspondent learnt from some sources that the
hoodlums were on a revenge mission.
A source said the battle started on Sunday when a
leader of the Eiye group was killed, a day after his wife put to bed.
The slain man, identified as Small, was said to
have been dragged down from his motorcycle and hacked to death, while his
remains were dumped on Fadipe Street.
The source said, “The man’s wife gave birth on
Saturday and he was killed on Sunday. Some Aiye boys were said to have carried
out the attack. They dismembered him and took his corpse to Fadipe Street. It
was from that time that there has been trouble and we cannot rest.”
A woman who lives on Ogunbadejo Street, said
policemen from the Somolu Police Division arrived at the scene after the
hoodlums had left.
The resident, Mrs. Eniola Kogberegbe, lamented
that instead of going after the gang, some innocent people were rounded up and
residents resisted the move.
“It was one hour after the incident that the
police came. They wanted to take three of our people, but we resisted them.
They came back this morning and took one person in the area,” she said.
She added that a resident was badly injured after
hitting his head on a pavement, while running away from the hoodlums.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi
Braide, said nine suspects had been arrested.
Braide said, “Around 9pm yesterday, the
Divisional Police Officer received a distress call that some boys numbering
about 50 were destroying things within the streets you mentioned. He mobilised
patrol vehicles and also requested back ups from neighbouring stations.
“On sighting the police, they took to their
heels, but some of them started fighting with the police. At the end of the
day, the police were able to arrest nine of them, and they will be transferred
to the State Criminal Investigation Department for prosecution.”
-Punch
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