Hoodlums on Rampage in Lagos

Some suspected hoolums  invaded Olaiya Street, Mafoluku in the Oshodi Isolo area of Lagos State on Sunday morning.

They vandalising no fewer than 50 vehicles and some buildings, including that of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Tree of Life parish.

The residents said the men, identified as Garage Boys, numbering over 100 and armed with bottles, cutlasses and other weapons, attacked the area and did the damage around 2am.

The residents said it was the fourth time the group would wreak such havoc without any challenge from policemen that usually come after the harm had been done.

PUNCH Metro  gathered that the Sunday morning attack was a reprisal for an earlier onslaught against the Garage Boys by the Alagbole Boys, another notorious group in the area.

While the cultists unleashed the mayhem, our correspondent learnt that residents were holed up in their houses for fear of being killed by the rampaging gang who dared residents to come out.

A secondary school student, Bose Abidogun, said she woke up around 2am and began taking note of the incident.

In her account obtained by our correspondent, she said, “It was like a nightmare, the worst I have seen. Around 2.38am, I woke up because I heard a bang outside. I first thought it was a robbery operation, but then I peeped through the window. I saw a group of boys armed with sticks, cutlasses, hitting the glass of every car on the street.

“I watched as Pastor Dare (a resident) looked at them destroying his car and could not do anything. The boys kept moving from car to car, breaking the cars’ glasses and winthrdscreens.”

Pastor Dare Majadeogbe said he watched helplessly as his private and church cars were damaged. He put his loss at N300, 000.

The Chairman of the Landlords and Tenants Association, Dauda Sulaiman, berated the attitude of the Makinde Police Division, which he described as non-challant.

The traditional ruler of Mafoluku, Husam Elemo said,“This has been happening for a long time, and I have always showed my dislike for things like this. Most times, the Special Anti Robbery Squad and Makinde Police Division would come in, and nothing would come out.

 The Alagbole boys and Garage Boys have been disturbing us. We do not want them to bury this recent devastation, like other cases. I want the government to wade into it this time so we can have lasting peace.”