Residents of Mayaki Street in Oworonshoki, Lagos have been gripped with fear after suspected cultists went on rampage in that neighbourhood.
The hoodlums who left several persons injured, vandalised several shops and vehicles also looted wares and money belonging to private citizens.
It was gathered that the palace of the Oworonshoki monarch was pelted with stones and bottles, while its occupants were threatened with guns.
Trouble was said to have started at about 8pm on Sunday, after a young man identified as Monsuru, 25, was killed by a rival cult group around Atanda Alonge Street.
Meanwhile, five persons, including two suspected to have murdered Monsuru have been arrested and currently being interrogated by police operatives.
It was learnt that the deceased was murdered during a Valentine’s Day party held in the neighbourhood.
His death prompted his cult members to regroup at about 11pm and stormed about four streets in the area, chasing people with bottles, cutlasses and guns.
They were said to have engaged the rival group in a free for all, with unconfirmed claims that two more persons died.
The clash did not stop in the dead of the night, as the hoodlums, it was learnt regrouped again before 7am, causing residents and shop owners to flee for safety.
It was gathered that it took the intervention of policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), the Area H Command, as well as the police station located along Atanda Alonge to restore peace.
About 10 police patrol vehicles including an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was said to have been deployed to the area.
As at the time The Nation visited, the usually busy area seemed deserted such that even the sand dredgers, who usually thronged the lagoon, were not in sight.
Most of the shops in the neighbourhood were locked and the very few who dared to open, still looked frightened.
A taxi driver who gave his name as Momoh, told The Nation that he was called by his wife to return home because “area don scatter.
“I did not return home yesterday. I slept at the park and so, I was surprised this morning when my wife called me to come back that area don scatter.
“She told me the guys were just attacking anyone they see. That they took the corpse of Monsuru on a procession to the Oba’s palace returned it to their area before they started fighting. They even threw bottles and stones inside the palace.
“She also said that they were shooting gins and were destroying properties belonging to innocent people. They vandalised more than five shops on this line alone and carted away all the drinks and money they saw.
“On Mayaki Street, I heard they also vandalised many buses, cars and shops too. Many were just running for their lives. I am certain they are cult boys. We have not had this kind of fight in this area for close to five years now.
“I heard two other people died but I do not know how true that is. But I also know that about five people sustained injuries. Some on their heads, I do not know their names,” he said.
A police source who spoke in confidence told The Nation that the two suspected murderers were nabbed by the Division, while the three other suspects who participated in the fracas were arrested by RRS and Area Command operatives.
He stated that the suspected murders have already confessed to the crime and were given useful information that will aid police investigation at the division.
According to the source, only one person died in the fracas, while about three others sustained injuries on the head and shoulder.
When contacted, the state command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, an SP, said only three persons have been arrested.
She said the identities of the suspects won’t be made public yet
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Culled from: The Nation Newspaper
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