Five persons at the weekend feared killed and others injured after hoodlums invaded Igbokuta/Gberigbe community, Ikorodu, Lagos, and Obada Oko in Ogun states.
Those feared killed, including Lateef Ade, Mutiu Balogun, Hameed Idris, were said to have been attacked on Saturday afternoon by scores of land grabbers who wielded guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons.
The hoodlums, it was gathered, unleashed terror on their perceived enemies as well as helpless residents who they believed were responsible for the arrest of some of their members especially two fake policemen who had laid siege on the community since May.
In Ogun State, the hoodlums numbering about 100 were alleged to have stormed Obada Oko in about 50 motorcycles and descended on residents.
Also in Ogun State, the hoodlums numbering about 100 were alleged to have stormed Obada Oko in about 50 motorcycles and descended on residents.
Narrating the incident, a resident, Agbaje Taoheed said: “There were about 50 motorcycles with each motorcycle carrying at least three people. Many of them were armed with cutlasses, broken bottles, sticks and iron rod.
“On sighting the hoodlums, an expectant mother was said to have fainted and had to be resuscitated by the villagers. People scampered to safety for fear of being hit.
“A man identified as Sikiru Kayode was attacked with machetes and sticks. He was abandoned on the ground despite that he was bleeding profusely. They fled the scene thinking Kayode was dead.
“A bricklayer working on one of the buildings in the community said one Solebo pointed a gun at him and threatened to shoot him.”
When contacted, the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Adekunle Ajisebutu, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) said he was not aware of the Ikorodu incident.
A spokesman for Ogun command Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed there was an incident at Obada Oko among land agents and residents.
He said from information available to the police, the land agents claimed they were in the community to paste a court judgment in their favour with respect to a disputed land but were attacked by residents who felt the agents went beyond the area covered by the said judgment.
Oyeyemi said the case was already being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) on the directives of the Police Commissioner, adding that both parties have been invited for an interview.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested four suspected land grabbers and cultists in connection with the mayhem that occurred in Gberigbe Town in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
The arrest of the suspected land grabbers and cultists followed the killing of three people, including a Police Officer, who had come to maintain peace and prevent the forceful takeover of other people land in the troubled community.
Secretary to the Orelade/Ladera Royal Family of Gberigbe land Olayiwola Akanmu, whose family is said to own the land, told The Nation that a combined force of land grabbers and cultists started unleashing terror on the people after the withdrawal in June of some policemen, who had been keeping watch on the community.
According to him, trouble started in Gberigbe on May 20 when some suspected land-grabbers and cultists, who have been terrorising the community, clashed with some soldiers driving through the community.
He said the cultists, thinking the soldiers came for them, attacked and severely injured them.
He said the soldiers went back to their barracks, reinforced and forced the cultists out of the community as a result of which Mobile Policemen were drafted to the Gberigbe community to keep the peace.
Akanmu said the development opened another floodgate for armed robbers who robbed people in the night in their homes, thereby creating tension in the area since June.
He said the police arrested 15 suspected robbers who he said are currently on trial in the courts.
He said Police from Area N and Panti Police Station were drafted to the town and that in the course of the gun duel that ensued; four people were shot dead, including one of the policemen drafted to the town to maintain peace.
He said the bodies of the deceased were later taken away by the police from Panti Police Station.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Adekunle Ajisebutu when contacted on the matter, promised to get back to The Nation.
He, however, declined to answer further calls and message posted on his WhatsApp platform.
