Some
hoodlums, who are suspected land grabbers, unleashed mayhem on Funke
Usman Street, Elegushi, Lekki, Lagos killing a 28-year-old fisherman.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the fisherman, Ayaba Basil, was hit by a stray bullet during the violence.
Our correspondent further gathered that Basil, who was father of two children, hailed from Badagry in Lagos.
Though Basil was killed last week
Wednesday, when our correspondent visited the place on Saturday, many of
the residents had fled in fear that the suspected land grabbers might
be planning to unleash more violence.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro,
Basil’s elder brother, who identified himself simply as Abel, said after
Basil’s shocking death, his wife and two children were moved to Ikorodu
to stay with a relative.
He said, “Basil had been a fisherman in
the area. Though we are from Badagry area, most of us have lived for
many years in the Elegushi, Lekki area. In fact, he was born and grew up
in the area. On that Wednesday, when he returned from work, he lied
down at home when we began to hear noise of the violence.
“He stood up to see what was happening.
As he stepped out, the stray bullet hit him on the back of the neck. He
died instantly. The land grabbers also shot another man, while several
people were injured. For now, his wife and children have been moved to
stay with one of our relatives in Ikorodu. Almost everyone is leaving
the area. Our lives are no longer safe here.”
Our correspondent gathered that after
the invasion by the land grabbers, the violence was reported at the
Ilasan Police Division, Jakande, Lekki. It was further learnt that some
policemen later came to interrogate the people.
Our correspondent observed on Saturday
that some of the residents, who had been pursued by the suspected land
grabbers from their houses, were putting up in a large uncompleted
school building on the street.
As of Saturday, the people, numbering about 150 ─ including wives, children and men ─ were observed in the building.
One of them, a trader and father of three from Umuahia, Abia State, told PUNCH Metro that they needed urgent help from the government to restore peace in the area.
Also, the Head of Otodo Gbame, a Badagry
community in the area, Hunpe Dansu, enjoined the government to
strengthen security around them.
He said, “After the hoodlums unleashed
violence on Wednesday and we reported to the police, the Divisional
Police Officer of Ilasan visited our area the same day, and we showed
him the corpse of our dead member. The DPO was also taken to where some
residents had been injured.
“We enjoin the government to come to our aid and save us from these invasions. The community is no longer safe.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations
Officer, Ngozi Braide, while confirming the murder of Basil, added that
security had been beefed up in the area to curtail the crisis.
She said, “There have always been
communal clashes in the area. On the fateful day, a clash had broken out
over the ownership of land, and the police were alerted.
“When the police got to the scene, the
man, Basil, was found in a pool of blood, while five other persons were
injured. On sighting the police, the hoodlums fled, but the police were
able to make some arrests. The police have beefed up security around the
area at present, and investigations into the matter are ongoing.”
PUNCH
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