Militants unleashed terror on Lagos residents, kill five, Abduct Three

After what seemed like a lull, militants cum oil pipeline vandals have returned to Ishawo community in Ikorodu, Lagos and unleashed terror on the residents.

The-house-where-the-twins-were-abducted [Picture: Newtelegraph]

The bandits invaded the community about 11p.m on Sunday and operated till about 3:30am the following day. At the end, the armed men reportedly shot dead five people, among them a woman said to be a hairdresser. The militants also abducted three persons – a hotelier identified as Chicago and twins.

The gunmen went to Oko- Iya Olosa area of Ishawo where they shot a man, identified as Kamoru, and the hairdresser for resisting abduction. The woman died on the spot while Kamoru reportedly died later. A resident said bullets did not penetrate Kamoru’s body.

“Annoyed, the gunmen brought Kamoru outside his house and started to attack him with machetes. They inflicted several cuts on his body.

He died later,” the resident, who craved anonymity, said. Also, a top police officer said the hoodlums killed three other persons in parts of the community. The militants abducted Chicago, whose facility is located on Olainukan Street at Ishawo. Residents said the gunmen, numbering about 10, stormed the victim’s house about 11p.m., while shooting sporadically.

They took him away through the creek in one of their waiting speedboats. A family member, who did not want his name in print, said Chicago’s relatives were concerned about his safety.

He said: “I don’t live in the community; I was called on the phone by one of his sons about his abduction. Unfortunately, I was told the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N13 million from the children before their father could be released.

“We are appealing to the abductors to free him because our concern now is how to raise the money. We cannot afford such amount of money because of the situation of the country now.

We are appealing to them to free him.” Another resident, who identified himself simply as Mrs. Kalani, said the vandals took to kidnapping to survive.

She said: “We are always on the alert in the community. Only on Sunday night alone, about three persons were kidnapped at different parts of the community. “Immediately the kidnappers left the hotelier’s house, they went to Hunjo Royal Estate where they abducted twins – Taiwo and Kehinde. But the twins were later released after the intervention of the Army.

They, however, collected N20,000 from their parents.

“We cannot sleep in our houses anymore; they are looting shops and raping women in the community. Many people have abandoned their homes and run away for safety. Those of us who remain here are always on the alert because the kidnappers can strike any time.” When our correspondent visited the community, some of the residents who had fled for fear of being attacked, were returning to pick their belongings. One of them, Mr. Alaba James, told our correspon