IN recent times, Ikorodu, which sits on the outskirts of Lagos, has been battling with the problem of cults and cultism; but the problem seems to have reached crescendo recently. Security operatives and residents seem to be at a loss as to how to manage the crisis that is ravaging several communities, shutting down businesses and endangering lives and properties on a daily basis in the area.

Ikorodu North and parts of the Ikorodu South are the flash areas but Ikorodu North is the worst hit. The reasons for this, according to residents are two folds: the proximity of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) to the residential areas and the absence of a police station around the area. The nearest police station is situated on Shagamu Road, very close to the Ikorodu garage and is miles away from the worst hit areas. The areas mostly affected in the Ikorodu North are First and second gates, Odonguyan, Odo-kekere, Odo-Nla, Agbede, Transformer, Ita-Oluwo and Ogijo.

According to a co-coordinator of The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), who spoke with The Guardian but declined to have his name in print, he said that the problem started in December last year when some members of the Aiye cult attacked and kidnapped an OPC coordinator in the area. In a quest to rescue their kidnapped member, things spiraled out of control. Unfortunately, some Aiye boys capitalized on the ongoing unrest, by accusing a member of Eiye, a rival gang, of ‘stealing’ his girlfriend.

The Eiye member who had a live-in girlfriend and a young son was brutally murdered and peace has eluded the whole vicinity since this unfortunate incidence occurred. The Eiye cult allegedly retaliated by killing a member of the rival gang and things have gone downhill since then. A former member of one of the cults who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Guardian that the killings wouldn’t stop anytime soon as it has become a matter of gang pride. According to him, they are ‘counting scores’ and need to retaliate each time they are attacked. The number of people a member kills determines his rise through the ranks and the more he kills, the more he is respected and feared.

It was only a matter of time before the boys graduated to snatching bags and motorcycles, robbing shops and raping young girls. The residents now live in fear and businesses have suffered greatly as a result. A shop owner, who spoke anonymously with this reporter, said he has to close early so as to avoid becoming a serial victim. According to him, he has been robbed three times in the last few months and he was fed up and his business was suffering. He pointed to the shops beside his, which were vacant, saying that the owners have long abandoned the shops because of relentless attacks and he was simply waiting for his rent to expire before he followed in their footsteps.

Another shop owner who operates a pharmaceutical shop confirmed said that the area is no longer safe and she fears for her life and business. Several meetings held to proffer a solution have yielded no results and subsequent attacks have become deadlier in nature.

The traditional rulers and OPC coordinators, said that the situation is improving and over 30 of the cultists have been arrested and handed over to the police. They are however saddened by the fact that the boys are usually released a few weeks later and they then come back to wreck even more havoc on the residents. The OPC coordinator says there is nothing they can do about this because they are not empowered by the Nigerian law to arrest or detain anyone.

The president of the Landlords’ and Landladies’ association, who also declined to have his name in print, pointed accusing fingers at some of the members of the association. He insists that most of the cultists are children of landlords and omo-onile’s in the area and they are aware of the evil they are perpetuating in the vicinity but prefer to turn a blind eye because they are not directly affected.

Mr Musbau Akinyemi, popularly called Mopol, recalled his ordeal in the hands of the cultists few weeks back. He said he went for a naming ceremony somewhere in Ladega and the party stretched into the night. “The joyful occasion turned sorrowful as some Eiye boys noticed some Aiye boys and started shooting and stabbing even innocent bystanders that were present. The party broke up and the police had to be called in to restore order. The area was held under siege for several days with heavy police presence.

The OPC coordinator however praised the police and applauded their steadfastness in dealing with the ravaging problem. He wants the government to recognize and empower the Oyabo so that they would be able to assist the policemen in combating crime.

He also wants a police station situated in Ikorodu North so that the response time to crime would be shorter. He blames the rising number of cultists and cultism on poverty and parents having more children they can cater for.

“The children are left to run wild from an early age and even fend for themselves from as young as ten years or even younger. They become easy prey to these gangs and it doesn’t take much to lure them into a life of crime.”