Fifty vehicles and several shops were vandalised yesterday in Oworoshoki, Lagos, in a cult war.
Twenty persons have been arrested over the clash, which started around 2am and lasted till 7am.
The hoodlums shattered the vehicles’ windscreens and looted shops.
Some residents told The Nation that shouts of “Kill them all, kill anyone you see” and sporadic gunshots woke them from sleep, forcing them to flee their homes.
It was gathered that Ayo Odugbesan, Church, Oke Eri, Odo Eran and Aralamo streets, among others, were affected.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, said they saw the street urchins around 7pm on Saturday and alerted the police.
“At about 7pm, we saw those boys trooping to our area. Some people fled because some of those boys were arrested recently and sent to jail. How they regained freedom and found their way back is surprising.
“We are not safe in Oworo. These cultists are making life unbearable for us. We need help in this area. The destruction started around 2am.
“No death was recorded. It seems their target was to kill the night guard, but he escaped.
“They shot non-stop, smashing vehicles. They were just destroying things. It was around 5am that people came out and saw the massive destruction. They were moving from street to street, vandalising vehicles,” he added.
A Community Development Association (CDA) executive said they were afraid that the hoodlums could return.
He appealed to security agencies to deploy additional personnel in the area.
According to him, over 50 vehicles were affected.
“We will convene a meeting soon over the incident,” he said.
Lagos Command spokesman Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), told The Nation that 20 persons have been arrested.
He said policemen were mobilised as soon as information filtered in about the incident.
“Commissioner Zubairu Muazu has deployed additional security, including operatives of counter-terrorism and anti-cultism units in the area. Investigation is on. Twenty suspects have been arrested. As I speak with you, there is increased security presence in the area. No one died and no one sustained injury. Yes, vehicles were vandalised,” he said.
THE NATION
