Suspected cultists go on rampage in Lagos, destroy 10 vehicles, raze 6 shops, building

There was confusion around Onipanu area of Lagos State between Wednesday afternoon and early Thursday as a house and six shops were set ablaze by suspected cult members. The cult members, who were said to be on a reprisal attack, also vandalised about 10 vehicles, which were parked at some of the streets in the area.

Tribune Online gathered that the clash started on Wednesday afternoon when a popular suspected cult member, known as Sodiq, was abducted around Ilupeju Toll Gate. The abductors, said to be a rival cult members from Onipanu, headed by young men knwn simply as Lizarazu, AY and Hauwa, were reportedly about to kill Sodiq when policemen invaded Vono area where he was taken to.

Members of Sodiq's gang from Onipanu invaded Lizarazu father's house at 4, Shosanya Street and set the house and six shops ablaze. A resident of Onipanu, who simply identified himself as Tobi, told Tribune Online that "it was between Eiye and Aiye cult members.

They came here yesterday with machetes and guns and they started shooting into Lizarazu's father's house before they set it ablaze." The resident added that "they were there for more than one hour. They even vandalised some of the vehicles parked along Sosanya and other streets.

"What happened was that the leader of the Onipanu group was abducted and attacked in the morning and his boys thought that he had been killed. Residents of the burnt building were given no chance by the arsonists, who reportedly shot into their rooms, before setting the building on fire.

" The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmus, denied that the incident was a cult clash but insisted that it was a case of arson. She also stated that the police were on top of the situation and that investigations were on-going.
Source:Tribune