•as bloody clash claims five lives,
•survivor recounts how he spent 72hrs in coma

By EDIRI EJOH

The last thing on the mind of 44-year-old Philip Ewowo, as he walked home after the close of work last Friday, was not to end up being a victim of the lingering war between factions of social miscreants and rival cultists in Amukoko area of Lagos.

For three weeks now, residents of the area have been living in fear as a result of the incessant violent clashes that occur in the area.   So far, no fewer than five persons have been confirmed dead while scores were seriously wounded during the fracas.

One of the vicitims ….Philip Ewowo

Trouble reportedly started after a popular politician in the area (names withheld) dolled out bundles of N1000 notes totaling N200,000 to be shared among the miscreants. However, in the course of sharing, some aggrieved hoodlums who claimed to have been left out went on rampage, attacking those they blamed for their misfortune.

Indiscriminate attacks
The fight said to have been between miscreants in Ishaga, Apasa, Market Street (Turner) and Alaba areas of the densely populated Amukoko, took a different dimension when the warring factions reportedly started attacking anyone seen on the streets.

Unfortunately, Philip Ewowo, the father of four, was caught in the web of the crisis as he walked home. Time was 9am. He had run a night shift and apparently envisaged to relax at home before going back to work, only to be greeted with a slap across the face.  Before he could ascertain who the intruder was, another slap reportedly landed at his back followed by a sharp and excruciating pain on his neck before he blanked out.

Ugly experience
He narrated his ugly experience to Crime Alert after recovering from the trauma by recalling how he was almost sent to an unprepared grave over a sin he did not commit, having spent three days in coma.

He said: “ My survival is a miracle because I was told I lost so much blood. I would have been killed over what I don’t know about.  I was not there when they shared the money neither was I even aware that any money was given, nor was I given even a kobo.  The last thing I remembered that fateful day was a sharp pain on my neck. I woke up to find myself in the hospital three days later because I was told that I lost consciousness owing to so much loss of blood. Everyone thought I would not survive it.”

Call for government intervention
Meanwhile, residents of the area have called on the state government as well as the Police to come to their aid by checking the excesses of the warring miscreants..A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity lamented that : “This is not the first time we are witnessing such restiveness from these hoodlums. Unless the Lagos state government and security agencies intervene, things might be worse than it is.

“Last Thursday, we were rattled by gun shots from these miscreants. Lives have been lost and several persons injured. Traders are not spared anytime fight broke out because their wares are usually at the mercy of the hoodlums. This is why we are calling on the state government to intervene because we can no longer sleep with our two eyes closed,” he added.

When Crime Alert visited the area, broken instruments like tiles and bottles with screens belonging to parked vehicles and other motorists were seen littering the roads, as they were reportedly used for the combat.