The Ogudu Ojota area of Lagos State is in chaos
after some rival cult groups clashed, vandalising no fewer than 25 vehicles.
At least two residents were injured in the
mayhem.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the clash was
between some street urchins, who stayed in a mechanic village on Olakunle
Ajibade Street, also known as Toli, and some hoodlums serving the interest of a
community leader
The Toli gang was said to be led by the son of a
policewoman attached to the Ogudu Police Division, identified simply as
Michael.
PUNCH Metro learnt that last week
Tuesday, hoodlums working with the policewoman’s son entered the Ogudu Ojota
Road with weapons and damaged 15 vehicles.
A resident, Jinadu Fasasi, said, “The hoodlums
were many and wielded cutlasses and guns. In the group were Michael, Rasheedi
and Kakamba. They all came out of Toli and invaded the Ogudu Ojota Road with
cutlasses and guns in the night.
“They broke the windscreen of all the cars parked
by the roadside. Then they entered Idi Aba, Oke Egba and Balogun, shooting into
the air.
“Two men ─ Rasheed and Ayo ─ were injured. They
were cut with machetes.”
Our correspondent was told that the residents
woke up to find their vehicles smashed.
The matter was said to have been reported at the
Ogudu Police Division, while the residents identified Michael as the mastermind
of the attack.
The Divisional Police Officer, Chioma Ajunwa, was
said to have summoned Michael’s mother, a police inspector in the station, and
ordered her to produce her son.
A source said, “The police inspector said her son
was also injured during the incident, but the DPO insisted that she must
produce him.
“When he was brought and examined, it was
discovered that he did not have any injury as claimed. The DPO then said both
son and mother should be detained.”
PUNCH Metro was told that the suspect’s
father, one Ajilo, a leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers,
intervened.
It was gathered that the duo was later released
after other policemen brokered peace between the parties.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
explained that the suspect’s family compensated residents whose vehicles were
damaged.
He said, “They paid them sums ranging from
N10,000 to N20,000 to repair their vehicles. Almost everybody was settled except
the owner of a Sienna bus, who rejected the money because it was too small. “
However, our correspondent learnt that hardly had
the dust settled on the first incident when another set of miscreants invaded
Toli and damaged some vehicles in retaliation.
A resident, who begged not to be named, said, “It
happened three days after the initial attack.
“The hoodlums entered Toli and damaged about 10
cars. The claim was that the attack was a reprisal for the first incident.”
When our correspondent visited the area on
Tuesday, he counted three damaged vehicles, although it was gathered that the
others had been taken away for repairs.
A resident, Kunle Ojo, said Michael, who
controlled the affected area, led the police to arrest those behind the second
attack.
Ojo said, “Michael compiled a list of people he
suspected and led the police to arrest them.
“He used that opportunity to witch-hunt people
who had forced him to pay for the earlier damage.
“Because of this, many of the young men in our
area fled to avoid being arrested for an offence they knew nothing about.”
A community leader, who asked not to be named,
said, “The DPO has summoned the traditional ruler of the community to the
station to assist the police in their investigation.
“Two people have been remanded because of the
attack.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth
Nwosu, confirmed the incident.
He said, “The case has been transferred to the
command headquarters, where further investigation will be conducted.”
Source:Punch
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