A fresh Badoo attack on a building on Alajo Street, Abule Osorun, in Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos, has claimed the life of a man and left his wife and their baby in a coma.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the victims were found in a pool of blood by a neighbour who went to greet them on Saturday.
They were said to have been rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital, from where they were referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
It was gathered that the man, Sakiru Yekini, popularly known as Shako in the community, gave up the ghost on Sunday, while his wife, Kehinde, and the five-month-old baby were still receiving treatment at the hospital.
Residents, who begged not to be named for security reasons, told our correspondent that the attacks were becoming rampant after a few months of peace in Ibeshe and environs.
One of them said the assailants tore the window net of the family’s apartment to gain entry, adding that the window did not have burglar-proof bars.
He said, “It has been resolved in a community meeting that neighbours should check on one another every morning to find out if all is well. On Saturday morning, a neighbour of the victims went to their apartment and met them unconscious and bleeding.
“He raised the alarm and many residents rushed to the apartment. I was also there. I saw a stone the gang used to smash the heads of the couple; the baby also sustained injuries. The husband, Shako, died in LASUTH today (Sunday). They are from Kogi State.”
Another eyewitness said the attack was the fourth in recent times in Ibeshe and had caused panic among residents.
He urged the police to device proactive measures towards addressing the problem.
“The family had been living in the community for about five years. The gang used a lighter to tear the window net. The man bled to death, but his wife and child are still responding to treatment at the hospital.
“Until a few weeks ago, we have been living in peace for some months. We are worried that this Badoo issue is coming up again.
“Another thing that baffles me is that the gang has been attacking only non-indigenes. They don’t go to houses of indigenes, even though their buildings do not have burglar-proof bars. So, something is fishy.
“Policemen from the Ipakodo division have arrested two suspects in connection with the Saturday incident. They chased a suspect into the bush, but I don’t know whether they were able to arrest him.
“The police should stop sounding sirens whenever they are going to the scene of any attack. They are telling the suspects to hide.”
However, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed the murder, adding that the command was on the trail of the fleeing suspects.
He said, “The Lagos State Police Command hereby acknowledges the murder which took place on December 30, around 2.30am, at Abule Osorun, Ibeshe, Ipakodo, Ikorodu, Lagos State.
“Sequel to the murder, the command wishes to state that the joint Police/Community Vigilance Services earlier set up by the Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, and a team of policemen from the Ipakodo division, rose to the occasion by moving swiftly to the scene of crime, rescuing the victims and rushing them to the General Hospital Ikorodu for treatment.
“Unfortunately, one of the victims, Mr. Sakiru Yekini, died later. It is also important to note that one of the suspects was arrested at the scene and his confession has led to the arrest of four other suspects who took part in the crime.
“Investigation is in full swing and further developments on this and other events would be disclosed by the Commissioner of Police during his next press briefing.”
