By Our Reporters

THE spate of violent clashes between gangs of street urchins ravaging streets of Amukoko area of Lagos State, has turned into a nightmare to residents of the area. In fact, resident have started packing out in droves for fear of their lives.

The situation is so bad that women and children dread stepping out into the streets for fear of stray bullets and the incessant cases of rape being perpetrated by the street urchins.

As it were, no week passes without news of violent clashes between hoodlums from various streets, including Iya-Oro, Market, Balogun, Moshalashi, Oloko Darun, Alaba and Mosafejo, battling for supremacy.

And over 40 lives and many valuable properties are alleged to have been lost and destroyed in the past one year. Rampant attacks by these hoodlums have since left residents, traders and motorists plying the route with palpable fear, as the warring hoodlums unleashed terror on themselves and innocent passersby using dangerous weapons.

One of the residents, Titus Ike, an architect, told Crime Alert that the situation has brought to the fore, the ineptitude of security agencies and the State Government in arresting the unfortunate situation, which he said, has turned the area into a lawless place.

some of the damaged cars

He said: “Many of us have long lost confidence in government and their style of handling the frightening crisis. We are urging them to allow local vigilantes and members of the outlawed Odua Peoples Congress, O.P.C, take charge of the dreadful situation.”

Another resident, Oluwasegun, who lives at Iyaoro Street, said: “Members of OPC should handle the frightening security situation in these streets because we believe in them more than the police for it seems the police are very comfortable with the crisis. We know this because many years ago when crisis like this occurred, it was members of OPC who came in to arrest the situation by killing many of those involved.”

Traders at the popular Alaba Market and Oduade Tiles Market who have been the worst hit since the violent clashes erupted, also urged the government to ensure that they save their lives and property.

Chukwuma Anozie, who spoke on behalf of traders at Alaba Market said: “Our shops have been attacked severally and looted by hoodlums during fighting. Some of us have been robbed and our customers have also been dispossessed of their valuables.”

He also stated that casualties recorded during the fights, may have been those hit by bullets during their regular gun fights. “ But most of the casualties are mainly innocent passersby caught by stray bullets. And all this have been happening for a long time without the state government doing anything about it”.

Another resident, a 48-year-old civil servant, Ojo Babalola, also regretted that the once peaceful area has been turned into hell for them.

The father of four who has severally escaped death by whiskers said he has lost most of his valuable properties including his car to the unrest. According to him, “our once peaceful area has been turned into hell with various violent clashes by warring hoodlums battling for supremacy.

In the afternoon of November, 27, 2011, hoodlums from notorious streets like Iya-Oro, Market, Balogun, Moshalashi, Oloko Darun, and Alaba entered the street at Iyaru and started destroying properties including vehicle windscreen, and looting shops. They also robbed residents and passersby of phones, wristwatches and many other valuables.

They were armed with dangerous weapons like locally made guns, knives and cutlasses, and even sharp broken tiles which they threw at each other. Women have been the most vulnerable each time fighting ensued in our area, as they have ended up being raped by these bandits.”

He also alleged that majority of the people perpetrating these acts are children of landlords of these streets and they have also not been able to assist in solving the problem. “My purpose for coming here is to expose the evil activities going on in my area for years now.

And when they start, we are usually afraid because we can’t come out. Activities are usually suspended. And many residents will be left in pains because their properties end up being destroyed and sometimes innocent people get killed. Last Sunday incident claimed two lives and nobody is saying anything about it.

The police for years have not been able to deal with this problem. And the Sunday clash lasted until Tuesday, before the warring hoodlums retreated back to their hideouts. The violence has affected me because my car, a Honda Civic, was badly damaged. Both the front and back windscreens were shattered. I am a civil servant and unfortunately, I have not been paid for the past four months.

I am looking for money to pay the WAEC fee of some of my children. I have not gotten that one. Our house rent will be renewed by January 2012, I am still looking for money to cover that and this one has happened again. I am deeply grieved. That is why I am crying out now by appealing to government to assist us in any way they can financially, and to also do something to stop this re-ccurring decimal.

This is the third time this is happening this year. What actually steered up the fight on Sunday was that these boys were fighting over the issue of superiority of one street over the other.” Other residents also alleged that the Police is doing little or nothing to save the ugly situation. “The problem is not new to anybody living in that area.

For some time, armored tanks were stationed in those areas to curb the situation. They only stayed for few days after which they left. Life in that area is unbearable. And there is no money to relocate. And when they start their battle, we cannot come out. All activities will be paralyzed. We have many warehouses in these streets.

So, they always do the work of offloading any container that come with goods. They collect about N135 to N140 thousand naira per container. This is majorly for tile dealers. Some of these boys who feel they are superior would not work. So, they always have problems in sharing the money.

Apart from that, they also collect money from wheelbarrow people who carry goods for customers and even extort money from hawkers.

The struggle for the control of these money and places by major groups or streets, always result to this bloody battle. Whenever they are in need of money, they start robbing and molesting people. When they start this their fight, sometimes miscreants from Alayabiagba in Ajegunle will be deployed to join them. And they enjoy doing that because it gives them opportunity to loot.