At least, 15 people were said to have been killed, including a father and his 13-year-old daughter. The man was identified as Waheed Buhari and his daughter, Mariam. There was wailing in the community as families counted their dead.
The attack, however, left many of the residents baffled. They couldn’t fathom the reason for the massacre.
Although the Lagos State Police Command and Ogun State Command have confirmed the incident, the two commands, however, feigned ignorance over the reason for the bloodbath. A police source has, however, revealed to the New Telegraph, details of events that led to the attack on the communities. The police source said: “It all started on Friday. But before that night, policemen attached to the Lagos State Police Command, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) had been tracking some kidnappers.
These kidnappers abducted a man and demanded for N20 million ransom. “The family pleaded with them and they reduced it to N5m and later N500,000. When the abductors realised the family still couldn’t afford the N500, 000, and the kidnappers further reduced the ransom to N300,000. The police told the family to play along with the kidnappers.
The police packaged papers into a bag and went to the venue designated by the kidnappers for the money to be dropped.” The kidnappers, who thought they were speaking with the victim’s family, ordered that the money should be brought to Isawu Road, Ikorodu. The operation was led by the Officer in Charge (OC) of FSARS, Mr. Adejobi. A car, driven by a SARS detective made its way to Isawu Road on Friday. Other SARS men followed behind the car, giving it enough space.
The police source recounted: “The kidnappers that came to collect the ransom were two. They came on a motorbike. When they reached the car, they brought out a gun just as the SARS’s driver wound down the glass of the car. They yelled, ‘where’s the money?’ The police driver showed them the bag. They collected it, mounted the motorbike and zoomed off. But rather than head straight, they reversed and took one-way. They didn’t know they were heading in the direction of other SARS men who were hiding. “The SARS men came out of their hiding and blocked the roads.
The policemen shouted at the two men to halt, but they refused. Rather, they reversed, attempting to head back to the direction they came from. The SARS’s driver, whom earlier handed them the ransom money, used the car to ram into their motorbike. One of them got seriously injured. The other took the SARS men to a Hotel in Ogijo area.”
When policemen went with the suspect to the hotel, they thought they would find the kidnapped victim there. The hotel, a two storey building, was built inside a bush and had no signboard. The suspect told the policemen that the hotel was run by a woman named Anike, but popularly called Mama T. It was further gathered that the hotel belonged to Anike’s late husband. After his death, Anike took over the hotel. She also started allegedly taking in unscrupulous lodgers.
The source continued: “The Policemen told Anike that they got information that robbers were lodging in the hotel and needed to carry out a search. She said there were no robbers in her hotel. Police started searching all the rooms. One of the rooms was locked. Police demanded for the key of that particular room. Other policemen were ordered to surround the hotel. Immediately the door, people started scampering out from windows.”
In the confusion, someone opened fire. Nobody knew who first opened fire. But soon gunshots enveloped the area. The source explained: “They were the first to open fire. Po-lice only retaliated. One person was gunned down and another injured. The police arrested four people, including Anike, the hotelier. The suspect that was knocked down by the police car was taken to the hospital, but died on Saturday. Two AK 47 rifles and two English pistols were recovered from the hotel. “When these suspects were arrested, Ijaw youths mobilised and went to the hotel.
They destroyed the hotel and started killing people. They thought the hotelier gave police information about the nefarious activities going on in the hotel. The kidnapped victim had not been seen yet. The police are still searching for him. The kidnappers didn’t know that the bag they came to collect didn’t contain money. It was a successful operation.”
Speaking on the incident, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said only three people were killed. He added: “Around 11pm at Ereko Community, Ogijo, some hoodlums numbering about 100 invaded the community and started shooting sporadically. Information from eyewitnesses showed that the hoodlums were militants and came from the riverine area. But we have not confirmed this, as investigations are ongoing.
We are particularly interested to know why they came in such a large number.” The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmus, reacting to the incident, said police received information on June 17, 2016, that a gang of kidnappers had assembled at Elepete, a sprawling community near Ogijo with intent to kidnap. According to her, it was based on this information that operatives of FSARS swung into action.
Badmos further said: “At a point near the creek, one Victor Worimegbe was arrested. He led operatives to TOPKATT Hotel where others lodged. On getting there, the trio of Ekpokim, Abule and Ebimobese sighted policemen and attempted to escape by firing some shots. The operatives responded in the process. The duo of Ekpokim and Abule sustained gun injuries. They were rushed to the hospital. They were confirmed dead. Their corpses have been deposited at General Hospital. Ebimobese is undergoing treatment due to injury sustained; meanwhile, he has made useful confessional statements.”https://newtelegraphonline.com/militants-swooped-ogun-communities-killed-many/
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