By IDOWU OLAIDE
THE increasing rate of criminal activities in Mafoluku/Oshodi and Shogunle areas of Lagos State is taken a new dimension.  It has heightened the fears of the residents as different criminal activities ranging from robbery, theft and vandalisation of cables of Power Holding Company, Nigeria, PHCN, and nocturnal attacks by hoodlums popularly called area boys, have resurfaced.

For over two years now, crisis fermented mostly by hoodlums including robbery operations, have raged ceaselessly in the area.  The crisis have taken a huge toll in human lives while properties worth million of naira have,either been destroyed or looted, by the miscreants.  As a result, the residents sleep all night with one eye closed while many others have re-located from the area.

*Deserted popular Oshodi road

Crime Alert scooped that most of the hoodlums reside at Apakun/Charity bus stop along Mile2/Oshodi Expressway, Yemoja, Ariori, Agbo-Ile, Bada, Garage, Olaiya, Afijalo and environs in Mafoluku including routes along the drainage that divided Mafoluku and Oshodi, especially at night.

While streets like Arowojobe, Adeyemi,Church, Orile- Oshodi, Balogun, Kairo, Oshodi market and environs in Oshodi as well as the Oshodi/Shogunle along are highly dreaded spots.  They also harbor armed men and hoodlums who dispossess unsuspecting  passers-by of their valuables and money. Unfortunately, these atrocities thrive in the full glare of security agents including the fact that the area is sandwiched by three police stations; Makinde, Akinpelu and Shogunle.

Residents speak out: Residents who were interviewed recalled when the crisis started rearing it’s ugly head in 2010 during which a power tussle between hoodlums in Mafoluku and Oshodi areas got to a deadly peak.   The warring factions, the said, roasted themselves alive.

That incident till date is popularly being referred to and called  ‘Ásun’ (meaning barbeque).  Others told Crime Alert in 2011,  factions of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, in the areas also engaged in a power tussle among themselves and ended up  killing and destroying properties.

Also, late last year, miscreants suspected to be from Ladipo/Oshodi vandalized and stole electric cables and that affected power supply to some streets there.  Till date, electricity is yet to be restored to the affected areas.  They also recalled another significant robbery operation where dare-devil gang of robbers successfully killed some policemen attached to Akinpelu Police Station and commercial motorcyclists  around Bolade Oshodi in November, 2011.

Worst hit by the criminal activities of these hoodlums is Arowojobe area where in the early hours of fortnight Saturday, a gang of armed robbers numbering fifteen stormed the area around 2 am and carried out an operation that lasted for about three hours. They were said to have carted property and cash worth thousands of naira from the residents.

Hideouts: Crime Alert gthat the robbery gang who were armed to the teeth with AK 47 riffles, welder cutter and other electrical devices gained entrance into one of the buildings in the area through the fence that demarcated the street and a complex of schools beside Oshodi Local Government Area along Church Street, Bolade/Oshodi.

The schools included; Owoseni Primary, Bolade, Oshodi Junior and Secondary and Comprehensive High Schools. Those schools were also said to be a hideout where criminals strategize for operations at night.   Cultists also carry out their initiation there.

Valuables carted away

An eyewitness said the armed men who were masked with ladies’ under wears and tubes also made  themselves comfortable and drank some beverages and drinks in the refrigerators of their victims who were around and those who went for vigil.  Valuables carted carted away during the operation includes; laptop, digital camera, flash drives, modem and jewries.

According to Mr. Olatomide David who went to vigil when the armed men stormed his flat, I and members of my family went to vigil that very Friday till Saturday.  On our way home, one of my co-tenants called to alert that we should not come home because armed robbers were operating there.

That was around 5 am and immediately, I went back to the church.  When it was around 6 am, I called back to know the situation on ground and that was when I was told that those armed robbers had gone and I came home.

Pastor attacked also: Another victim ofthe robbery, Pastor Goodness Udegbe said, “I was praying, then  I heard footsteps and jumping down of unknown people from the back of our building into our flat at midnight. I also heard the voice of my landlord’s house boy.

So, I drew my window’s curtain to check, and I saw one person with gun on the fence and two already inside the compound with guns. I alerted my wife that these were armed robbers and before I knew it, I saw them pointing guns at me that if I move they would kill me.

Operation lasted several hours

And suddenly, I saw them in large numbers. They were many and fully armed to the teeth. They asked me not to talk, that if I make attempt to call, they would kill me. Two stood by my side while others went to the next flats. They operated for hours, going from one flat to another and searched all the flats.

They came around 2 am for the operation and left around 5:30 am. I heard the sound when they were cutting those gates to gain entrance. They brought in many instruments for the operation. They cut burglary, electric security wires, but I could not make any move or call because I was held on hostage.”

They also carted away some jewelleries of one of my neighbours’ wife.   Initially, some of the armed robbers covered their faces while some did not but on the long run, all of them covered their faces with ladies under wears and tube. These areas are not secured at all.

There was a time last year when some cultists used to carry out initiation on their new members inside the compound of Owoseni Primary School. Then, I noticed such and I told the landlord. So, we went to the Police Station to report the case while they confirmed it and they said, they caught them. Aside from Owoseni Primary School, there are many schools in Oshodi Local Government where many atrocities take place at night.”

Another victim, Mr. Ruphus High estimated his loss at over  N250,000.00. “ When they came inside, they asked of my landlord and they were smelling of Indian hemp and alcohol. They made themselves comfortable. They locked us inside including my cousin. They were searching and destroying my properties. They also went and opened my refrigerator. They took their time very well and drank my beverages and other drinks in it.

Community chairman speaks: When contacted, the Chairman of

Adeyemi/Arowojobe Community Development Association,  Mr. Godwin Ifije  vehemently expressed fears over insecurity in the area. He said, “It is true that our areas are not safe, especially when the order of removing of road blocks came from the IGP.

I discovered that there is lack of enthusiasm by our policemen. Though, we commend the Police boss for that, because policing is not only searching of road blocks and vehicles’ particular, we expect police to embark on both trekking and vehicular patrols.

Unfortunately, what we discovered is that they are not doing this anymore. Before, we used to have police vehicles’ patrol at night but since that order, they moved out, except traffic policemen and when it is night, you won’t see them anymore. That is having negative impact on the entire Oshodi area. We also have security guards we employed at night but unfortunately, they are not armed.

So, when we always have robbery operation, they will always be at their mercy.  We are afraid that is something is not urgently done; there is the possibility that if the armed robbers come around in that numbers, serious casualties would be recorded on both sides. This is because,  If we even call police to intervene when hoodlums are extorting money from people, they won’t come. They would not see it as a crime and it’s like police are giving them support.”