Cultists turn market to battlefield, murders five persons

Firstclass newsline learnt that there was confusion and fear at the
Allison Market, in the Ikorodu Garage area of Lagos State on Monday
when some hoodlums, suspected to be cultists, invaded the market and
shot sporadically, killing three persons.
Not done, the hoodlums went to neighbouring Etunrenren and Ladeja
streets, where they clashed with rival cult groups, and killed two
more persons.
The deceased were identified as Lanre Olayiwola, Owolabi Kuti, and
John Ede, while the names of the two others had yet to be ascertained.
When a source visited the area, it was learnt that at about 5pm on
Monday, the hoodlums, said to be members of the Eiyeand Aiye cult
groups, came to a beer parlour, Royal Hall, and shot at three persons,
while they were drinking in the bar.
Firstclass newsline learnt that two of them died instantly, while the
third, who fled the bar, was ambushed in a public primary school by
the market, and shot dead.
It was learnt that another drinker, identified only as Samson, was
shot in the thigh, but escaped from the scene.
A source, who was at the bar, observed on Wednesday that the building
was deserted and bullet-ridden.
Firstclass newsline learnt that the market was scanty on Monday and
Tuesday, but saw that the traders had returned to normal business
activities on Wednesday, after security operatives had restored
normalcy to the area.
A shop owner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "At about 5pm
on Monday, we heard continuous gunshots and there was panic
everywhere.
"One of the people killed had parked his vehicle on the field of a
public primary school on this street. He had tried to escape, but they
followed him into the school compound and killed him."
A landlord, who gave his name simply as Alhaji, said the hoodlums,
after leaving the market, met rival gangs in the neighbouring streets,
and two more persons were killed during the clash on Monday.
"The hoodlums went as far as the Igbogbo and Baiyeku areas to kill one
another. By Monday evening, five corpses were taken to the police
station," he added.
Firstclass newsline learnt that a local vigilance group, Onyabo
Vigilante Group, Ikorodu, and policemen from the Ikorodu Police
Division raided the area on Tuesday, and made some arrests.
At the police station, firstclass newsline observed five vans
belonging to the Rapid Response Squad and two vans of the local
vigilance group leaving the premises for the Igbogbo area, where the
cultists were reportedly hiding.
The leader of the vigilance group, Kamorudeen Bombata, said four
persons among the suspects arrested had confessed to the crime.
He said, "So far, four of them have confessed to be cult members. They
struck Allison Street and killed two people. They killed others in
Ladeja. Four persons also sustained gunshot injuries. They are Eiyeand
Aiye hoodlums, with other smaller factions."
Firstclass newsline learnt that during the raid on Tuesday, the
cultists, who reportedly had hideouts in the Igbogbo and Baiyeku
areas, engaged the vigilance group and the policemen in a shootout
before some of them escaped through the waterways.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu,
said the police picked three corpses in the area.
He said, "Three are confirmed dead by the police, and their corpses
have been moved to a morgue for autopsy.
"On report of the incident, a team of patrol visited the scene, and
combed the area for arrest. Further investigation is ongoing on the
matter.
Firstclassnewsline.net