A middle-aged man, identified as Sulaimon ‘ESCAPER’ was brutally murdered in the early hours of Friday, 30 January, 2021 during a renewed bloody clash between youths from Onola and Agarawu areas of Lagos Island.
The deceased was learnt to have been matcheted on the neck to death, because his son, Sikiru is among the Agarawu boys that attacked the Onola youths three days ago.
Also, another man identified as Goriola, who claimed to have rescued some mallams, shot with dane gun by the hoodlums, while coming out from from morning prayer in a mosque, to undisclosed local medical hospital was matcheted on the head and he is currently in coma.
Goriola offences were: his marriage to mother of a member of one of the warring groups and rescuing the shot mallams.
Several vehicles parked along the streets at Agarawu and adjacent areas were vandalized, while innocent people and traders are robbed of their personal belongings later in the day.
According to eye witnesses, the deceased was brushing his mouth around 4am in front of his house (Agboole Oya) at Agarawu Street when the Onola youths invaded the area to avenge the attack on their members few days earlier by the Agarawu boys.
Source narrated that, “Escaper, while brushing his teeth with chewing stick saw the Onola boys coming and alerted the other boys bathing at a public pipeborne water. He also dogged nearby for the Onola youths to pass but was unfortunate when one of the invaders saw and identified him as the father of one of the opponents called Sikiru.
“He was then matcheted on the neck and he died on the spot. The invaders also attacked other people they saw around the area before they escaped,” source revealed.
Our source added, “Goriola, after rescuing the shot Mallams went to Tinubu area to see a friend.
It was also gathered that the Agarawu boys had earlier attacked some Onola boys two days ago which led to various forms of injuries on the Onola boys.
Another source revealed that youths from the two areas have been at loggerhead for sometimes over supremacy in political and NURTW affairs.
“Each time the elders of both sides tried to settle the crisis between the two groups, they shared tangible money to them for settlement but the waring youths still continue with the bloody fight and use the avenue to rob innocent people, particularly the traders along the areas”, the source revealed.
It was also gathered that when the Agarawu youths, armed with cutlasses and Dane guns, were returning from burial ground on Friday afternoon, where the deceased was buried, they attacked passersby and traders at Tinubu area and looted their goods.
“After lootings, they passed through Willoughby Street to escape the police team stationed at Itafaji junction, thereby disturbing Muslims who gathered to observe Jumat service.
When our correspondent visited the affected areas, it was deserted as traders lock-up their shops, while residents locked themselves inside to escape any further attack.
At Onola area, stern-looking soldiers and team of policemen were seen patrolling the vicinity and some nearby streets like Itafaji junction, Tinubu/Alli street junction.
Residents have cried out for the immediate attention of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu to come to their aids by fishing out the troublesome criminals and brought them to book to serve as deterrent to others.
As at the time of filing this report on Saturday, 30 January, 2021, most streets in the two areas were still deserted as few traders that partially open their shops were loitering around, expecting to hear any sound and lock up immediately.
Efforts to get the PPRO, Lagos command, Olumuyiwa Adejobi to confirm and get update on the crisis proved abortive as his phone number was not reachable