Over 30 masked men storm community, injure five

Five people were injured and several vehicles damaged on Monday, after suspected masked cult members, numbering over 30, stormed Agionibode Street, Mowe, Ogun State.

According to eye witnesses, the cultists were members of Aiye confraternity. The cultists were alleged to have stormed Agionibode Street, Mowe Motor garage and 09 junctions around 10pm on Monday and for reasons yet unknown, unleashed hell.

They were alleged to have attacked people and embarked on smashing of vehicles parked along the street. It was in that process that five people were injured. The injured people are presently battling to stay alive in different hospitals.

No one has actually established the reason for the attack because there were no rival cult activities or ego fighting among the cults.

A resident, who refused to disclose his name, said: “The cultists were over 30. They masked their faces with white handkerchief. They were armed with guns, machetes and broken bottles. They robbed shops, beer parlours and hotels.”

The manager of ‘All Over Hotel,’ who craved anonymity, said: “The hoodlums came in large numbers. They invaded our hotel and demanded for money. They collected mobile phones from us. They collected N10, 000 from three Hausa men in their shops. They also inflicted machete cuts on them. They collected N17, 000 from a bus conductor and inflicted machete cut injury on his head. They broke into shops and looted them. They crossed the express road and continued to harass passersby. They injured at least five people. The wounded are in hospital.”

Another resident, who identified himself as Baba Ibeji, said: “The violence lasted for about an hour. And it’s shocking that nearby Move Police Station couldn’t get help us. My car was smashed and ransacked. The distance between the garage and police station is not more than 200 meters. The police didn’t intervene. Several parked buses, shops and kiosks were vandalised. We don’t know whether they are robbers or cultists.”

Efforts to reach the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in charge of Mowe Police Station, Mr. Francis Ebogha, were not successful. But a police source said a meeting has been scheduled for 4pm between the police and community leaders, to address the invasion.