Residents lament cultists’ clashes, killings in Lagos
A man, Monsuru Aderoju, has been kidnapped in Igangan area of Ibarapa a day after Mrs Sherifat Adisa, owner of Subawah Petroleum in the area, was gruesomely murdered after she was abducted by yet-to-be identified gunmen.
 
Oladokun Oladiran, convener of an advocacy group named Igangan Development Advocates, confirmed the latest incident to journalists yesterday.
 
Aderoju, a cassava dealer popularly known as Alhaji Monsuru, was trailed to his home at Oke-Agbède, Igangan, where he was kidnapped on Monday evening.
 

It will be recalled that Igangan Development Advocates, late last year, protested against what it described as wanton killings and destruction of properties in Ibarapaland by suspected Fulani bandits, calling on the governor, Seyi Makinde, to act fast before the situation degenerates.
 
Convener of the group, Oladiran, said: “After Alhaji Monsuru finished his 8p.m. prayer, he decided to go home. According to what we gathered, two of the kidnappers attended the same prayer session with the victim. Though their strange faces generated some suspicion, they were not seen as a threat until they trailed the victim home and carried out their evil act.”
 
Oladiran further lamented that after the protest by his group, more farms in Igangan had been plundered, including his personal leased farm by suspected Fulani bandits.
 
The Oyo State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident, saying the police were intensifying efforts to rescue the victim.

MEANWHILE, at least two persons were feared killed on Sunday night in a clash between two rival cults, Aiye and Eiye confraternities, in the Igbogbo-Bayeku area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.
 
It was gathered that the fight broke out around 7:00p.m. after one of the rival groups stormed the community bus stop, where members of the other group were having a party. The fight led to the shooting of a member of one of the groups, which led to a reprisal.
 
According to eyewitnesses, one of the groups went away with the body of their member, while the other body was lying in front of the Community Secondary School.
 
A source said residents had fled the area as a result of the clash. “There is apprehension at Macaulay and Community down to Ilado. We call on the police to come to our rescue because residents are living in fear.”
 
This is just as residents of Mile 12 have also lamented that their lives are being threatened due to the activities of cult members in the area.
 
According to one Mrs Toyyibat, residents spent the yuletide period in fear at Mile12 due to killings and reprisals going on unchallenged in the area by rival cult groups.
 
She said the killings escalated recently because a cult leader was murdered by a rival gang. “Since the Aiye group killed the head of the Alora Boys, the gang members have gone on the rampage to avenge their leader’s death. We can’t even sleep peacefully in Mile 12 because they are still ‘counting scores.’ Even children can’t play around the neighbourhood, as everyone is scared of what is happening in the environment.”
 
The residents said the police were incapacitated to arrest the situation since some of the stations around the area were burnt during the #EndSARS violence, and are yet to be refurbished and police are not responding to distress calls.
 
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said he would get back to our correspondent, but he did not as of the time of filing this report. “We have asked the DPO to go and find out what is happening there and get back to us. I am waiting for the DPO’s response. When he gets back to us, I will make a statement on it.”