Many residents of the communities in Ikorodu, Lagos State have fled their homes for fear of being attacked by militants who have taken over the area.
The fleeing residents said on Friday in Lagos that life had become unbearable for them, following the activities of the group.
According to them, the militants have laid siege on the community for consecutive two weeks, robbing, vandalising, kidnapping, raping and maiming their victims.
They also steal domestic animals and raw food stuffs.
They said that the gang were armed with dangerous weapons in carrying out the incessant nefarious activities on the unsuspecting militants.
The fleeing residents of Igboolowu community said that they had sent an SOS to the Lagos State Police Command over the development.
Full of fright, the residents added that many of them had to vacate their abode for fear of further attacks and molestations.
Mr Mike Faleke, one the fleeing residents, said that he had left the area with his family due to the criminals’ increased activities.
“The hoodlums are pipeline vandals who have resorted to going to people’s homes to dispossess them of whatever they could find, including foodstuffs, goats, chicken, pigs and other domestic animals.
“They have now moved to Isawo community where they take over their house.
“These criminals now ask the occupants to identify the wealthy people within the community after which they proceed to attack them.
“There is a robbery attack by the militants in our neighbourhood during which a resident escaped to inform the police about the activity of the gang.
“But to the dismay of the residents, the police informed him that their schedule does not extend to the inroad but only on the main road,’’ he said.
A school teacher, who simply gave his name as Ayo, claimed that with the nonchalant attitude of the police toward their plight, the militant were now on the loose, ravaging the community.
He also alleged that the police had turned back on them, making them to ask “if there is any government in the state?
The teacher said that the militants had restricted the movement of those who could not escape from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on working days, adding that at weekend they seized their operations.
Ayo added that the weapons the hoodlums were carrying were highly sophisticated and could not be compared with that of the police.
Another eyewitness, Mr Musibau Alao, said that the hoodlums were also raiding filling stations.
He added that the police kept saying that they were on top of the situation which was not true as the criminals had continued to lay siege on the communities.
When contacted, the police spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, said that enough personnel, including the military had been deployed to the areas.
She said that the security agencies were expected to put the situation under control.
Badmos, however, advised the public not to “panic unnecessarily or move out of their homes.
“If the public have information about the gunmen, they should report to the police on time’’.
