Bizzare things are happening in Ikorodu, Lagos State and it takes the brave at heart to sleep with two eyes closed in the spate of incessant abductions and killings in recent times.

The graveyard peace that pervaded Ikorodu was yesterday morning shattered by the crowd of residents, who had assembled to witness the lynching of a notorious pedophile, a yet-to-be identified man simply known as Badoo in the area.

The man, who had terrorised the neighbourhood for many months, was burnt alive after raping an eight-year-old girl. The sexual abuse had reportedly taken place during a programme by a Celestial Church in the early hours of Sunday, July 24.

Members of the vigilance group had hunted for the suspected criminal immediately after one of the church members found the young victim helplessly lying at the church premises.Badoo was nabbed while hiding inside a primary school, his hands tied and stoned to death, before his body set ablaze.

Not too long after the extrajudicial killing took place, men who dressed like worshippers, kidnapped a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) during service at Santos Bus Stop, Ishawo area of Ikorodu.

According to an eyewitness, who was in church when it happened, the pastor was kidnapped around 7a.m. while the workers meeting was taking place before commencement of the day’s service.

Some men, numbering about five, came in dressed in beautiful attire. They were taken to be members, who had come to worship until they pulled out guns and immediately picked up the pastor in charge of the parish and he was whisked away.

“We are using this opportunity to cry out to the Lagos State government and the police as this has now become a daily occurrence in Ishawo, Ikorodu. We all are at the mercies of God.The gunmen, who many believe to be Niger Delta militants have been terrorizing and killing residents almost on daily in Ikorodu,” the source said.

When The Guardian visited the troubled spot at the weekend, some residents narrated their ordeal over the recent cases of kidnapping, raping, beheading and killings that have swept off the serenity of the once peaceful community.

The community is now a ghost town bereft of any social or economic activity. Even community leaders have all fled the area over the rising insecurity concerns, while residents are moving out in droves.

The few still left behind in Ishawo and who spoke to The Guardian all pleaded for anonymity citing fears of reprisals by the dreaded gunmen who invade the community at will. Even the palace of the Baale and local council secretariat were deserted.

One of those who spoke said he is still in the area because he has taken solace in the fact that death is the final eventuality of all mortals. “At my age, what am I running from? Like Julius Caesar said: ‘Death is a necessary end, it will come when it will come,’ though nobody wants to die a death that he or she would be blamed for.

“But for me, I have decided to stay here and await my fate. If everyone leaves, then you are giving room for the criminals to overrun the entire community.” Another resident said: “We are here because we have no place to run to. We are helpless but we believe God will intervene. People have left their homes, locked up their shops and businesses have crumbled. It is not easy.”