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Cultists go on rampage in Ikorodu demanding ‘Valentine money’

By Tobi Awodipe
15 February 2018   |   4:21 am
Tension was heightened yesterday in Odogunyan area of Ikorodu, Lagos State when some hoodlums, who were identified to be members of the dreaded Aiye cult group

Ikorodu. PHOTO: 54artistry.com

Tension was heightened yesterday in Odogunyan area of Ikorodu, Lagos State when some hoodlums, who were identified to be members of the dreaded Aiye cult group, alias Omo Aiye, took to the streets, harassing residents, passers by and business owners, while viciously demanding money to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

In what looked like a scene from a movie, the youths, numbering hundreds, divided themselves into several groups and moved from street to street, wielding cutlasses and bottles.

A resident who spoke with The Guardian on the condition of anonymity, said: “This situation is getting out of hand. I didn’t even know what was happening initially. I was sitting in my shop when I noticed some students that just closed from school running back to their school and some commercial motorcyclists turning back. I rushed out to find out what was happening and I saw the boys from a distance. I quickly locked my shop because I know what they are capable of doing if they met me there alone.”

A business owner, who simply gave her name as Patience, revealed that she wasn’t so lucky and had to part with money and goods from her shop. “I don’t want trouble so I pleaded with them for mercy and gave them what I had. If I hadn’t done that, they would have come back later in the evening to rob me.

“This area has been problematic for long and it seems the police don’t know what to do. It was just a few months ago we were living with our hearts in our mouths over the dreaded Badoo cult menace. Now these boys have returned to ferment trouble again. I want the police and the government to come to our aid and put and end to these cultists’ fracas.”

Head of the vigilance group in the area, Alhaji Wasiu Badmus, who confirmed the incident, said they were not initially aware of it because it happened during the day where their operatives are usually resting and the boys disappeared before they could apprehend them.

“We have upped our security this period till the weekend because this is a time when these boys are usually accusing one another of ‘snatching’ each other’s girlfriends, leading to attacks and counter-attacks. Parents have been found to be culpable many times so I am imploring parents and guardians to stop encouraging these youths and report any recalcitrant person to us or the police and we would swing to action.”

The police could not be reached for comments, as several calls put to the mobile phone of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Sagamu Road division, were not picked.

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