Fatoki
community in the Egan, Igando area of Lagos State, has been deserted, after no
fewer than 100 gunmen attacked the area in a three-day onslaught.
During
the siege, the gunmen, suspected to be militants, shot three residents and
looted shops and homes in the community.
Aside
carting away drinks, including herbs, the men reportedly stole generators,
televisions, laptops and refrigerators.
It
was learnt that the robbers entered into the community through the waterways.
We gathered that the community was bordered by water, which made it susceptible to
attacks from militants who lived in the surrounding creeks.
When
our correspondent visited the community on Thursday, he observed four
families locking their houses and hurrying out of the area with their loads.
One
of them, a trader, who was still in shock, declined comment.
A
resident explained that the trader had been robbed two times in the three-day
siege.
The
resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the community had been
peaceful until two months ago.
He
said, “A man had run out of the creek in broad daylight, naked and scared. He
was stopped by our security men. We thought he was mad, but upon interrogation,
he said he was kidnapped by the militants and they had just released him. We
called his relatives and they confirmed his story.
“Three
days ago, they stormed the community in the morning, shooting at the junction.
They injured three people and looted shops.”
Another
resident told us that the robbers promised to return the day after to
continue the attack.
He
said, “Those people returned on Tuesday around 12 noon. Some of them wore red
masks. They spoke English and a few even spoke Yoruba. They ordered everyone to
lie down. They took away my money and carried away my neighbour’s generator.
“They
attacked a disable cobbler on the road and took away his money. A man, who was
washing his car, was shot. They collected his three phones and N35,000.”
A
woman, who claimed to have also been attacked, said she was not around when the
robbers struck the first two days.
“I
was in my room with my family on Wednesday evening. We were seeing a movie
around 9pm when I saw four of them enter my room with guns. They ransacked my
house and took away my phones and other valuables. They took a huge sum of
money I wanted to use for business. I am bankrupt,” she said.
We were told that the robbers carted away plasma Televisions, laptops and
mobile phones.
They
also reportedly shot dead a goat and a chicken.
A
trader, who asked not to be named, said the men broke into her shop and stole
fruit juice and herbs.
“They
carried my refrigerator along with them and put everything on the boat they
brought for the operation,” she added.
A
resident and community leader lamented that although the Wednesday operation
lasted for about two hours, the police didn’t show up until the robbers were
gone.
“And
when they came, they only patrolled the entrance to the community; they didn’t
get to the crisis spot,” he added.
We gathered that the robbers after the Wednesday raid, threatened to return
on Thursday (yesterday) to kidnap and rape women in the community.
It
was learnt that the residents had decided to contribute money to hire
vigilantes to guard those left in the community.
The
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the attack, adding
that two suspects had already been arrested.
She
said, “The command received the report at the early hours of today (Thursday).
We gathered that some militants attacked the community. The Igando Divisional
Police Officer led operatives to the scene and upon sighting the policemen, the
militants fled; but two of them were arrested. The arrest led to the recovery
of ammunition.
“During
the attack, two people were shot and they are currently receiving treatment at
the hospital. We have deployed adequate security personnel and equipment to the
area to forestall a recurrence.”
Source: The Punch
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