Residents of Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos State, have
expressed worry over escalating cultists’ attacks, homosexuals and lesbianism
activities in the community.
Many, who spoke with New Telegraph Newspaper, did so
under the condition of anonymity. They fear reprisal from cultist members in
the community.
The residents claimed to know most of those
operating in community. They explained that others used to come from far and
near, to team up with those in the community to cause mayhem. They further
claimed to know where the cultists used to gather in the community for their
nocturnal meetings.
While complaining about the frightening cultist
activities and resounding gunshots always booming in the community, the
residents said that many youths in the community now use hard drugs.
They also disclosed that a large number of youth in the
community are becoming homosexuals, lesbians and embracing prostitution.
It should be recalled that this same Gowon Estate,
used to be called ‘Kuwait.’ Before,
robbers used to be recruited, drugs sold and prostitution reigned supreme in
Kuwait. Kuwait was destroyed by a police officer, now retired, and known as
Agba. Incidentally, Gowon Estate is a community inhabited by uniform personnel.
A resident said: “Gowon Estate is now the biggest
community where cultism thrives. Recently, someone’s skull was slashed open by
cult members. A guy, called Opakunle was slashed across his face with a knife
by cult members. It happened during a fight between Vikings and Eiye.”
According to the resident, the cult war is
concentrated around Block 412, 411 and 401. He noted that there are two popular
hotels in the community, where prostitutes, homosexuals and lesbians patronize.
He said: “Once you get to those hotels, you’ll find
armed guys. They are usually cult members. In those hotels, you’ll find kids as
young as 13 and 14, taking hard drugs. Many of them are gays. You’ll find
14-year-old girls, begging you to sex with them and pay them with codeine. They
have become addicted to codeine. The community is no longer safe. We all live
in fear. We hear gunshots every night. The older boys in the community are
initiating the younger boys into cultism and drug.”
In April, Mr. Courage Onoriode Erhuen, a legal
practitioner, revealed how some men in the community started threatening his
client, Mr. Marsson Isa Clark, leading to the head of a police sergeant being
smashed by a cultist. The attack on the sergeant, Adebayo Ehoda, came after
other policemen, who stormed Gowon Estate, to make arrest, were chased away by
armed cultists.
The attack on the policemen started after Erhuen’s
client, Clark, complained at Gowon Estate Police Station that a cultist
threatened to wipe out his family.
Gowon Estate Policemen, acting on Clark’s complaint,
came to the estate, intending to arrest some of the men.
The cultists proved too hot for the Gowon Estate
Policemen to handle. Clark proceeded to Area M Police Command, Idimu, Lagos
State and lodge similar complaint.
On the day New Telegraph went to speak with Clark,
he was said to have taken his convulsing child to hospital.
But his lawyer and some residents revealed chilling
details of the fright enveloping the community.
It was gathered that Clark’s troubles with the
cultists started after one of them, Igor, threatened to kill the entire family
of Clark.
A member of the cult group also smashed the head of
a police sergeant, Adebayo Ehoda, with a bottle. Ehoda is attached to the Area
M Police Command.
After Area M Police Command received petition from
Clark, explaining that Igor threatened to kill his entire family members,
policemen were immediately detailed to the estate.
Erhuen said: “Policemen from Gowon Estate Police
Station went to the community to make arrest, but were chased away by the cult
members. My client was forced to take the matter to Area M Police Command.”
When a team of policemen went to arrest the
suspects, they allegedly attacked the policemen, leading to the smashing of the
head of the sergeant. The policemen were, however, able to arrest Morris Sule
31 and Amos Chibuzor 27.
Erhuen said that his client was threatened by Igor,
a Viking member in the estate. Igor allegedly issued the threat in the presence
of over 40 people in the community.
The lawyer said that Igor and Clark used to be
friends, with Clarks always assisting him financially. Things, however, fell
apart, after Igor allegedly joined cultism and started taking hard drugs. Clark
withdrew his assistance, leading to friction.
When Igor threatened to kill Clark, his wife and
children, the latter ran to report the matter at the Gowon Estate Police
Station. When two policemen from the station went to make arrest, the gang
members allegedly chased them away with bottlenecks.
Clark went to Area M Police Command, Idimu, to
report the matter. When policemen came to arrest some of the gang members,
Sule, who was with them, smashed the head of one of the policemen with a
bottle. The sergeant was rushed to Igando General Hospital.
Erhuen said: “It was a case of threat to life of my
client’s family and business by some cultists operating in Gowon Estate. Two of
the cultists were arrested with machetes, while others escaped. Around 7am on
Wednesday, within the Gowon Estate, two youngsters were butchered by the same
group of cult members. Two cult groups, Vikings and Eiye, have become
terrorists within Egbeda community. The police should treat this matter with
all seriousness.”
Erhuen further said: “In the process of trying
to arrest some of the cultists, one of them smashed the head of a police
officer from Area M Police Command with a bottle. This was after the Gowon
Estate Police couldn’t arrest them at the initial stage. They broke so many
bottles and chased the policemen away. We need the Lagos State Government to
come to our aid and ensure protection for residents in Gowon Estate and Egbeda
as a whole. My client’s life and that of his family are in danger even as
we speak.”
Sule and Chibuzor were arraigned at the Ejigbo
Magistrates Court on a five count charge. They were granted bail and the matter
was adjourned to May 19.
The arrest and arraignment of the duo didn’t check
the cult activities in the community. Attacks and killings were alleged to have
continued unabated, while residents live in fear.
The pastor of Open Channels Church in the community,
Darlington Ajitemisan said: “Gowon Estate is now a terrifying place to live. A
cultist was shot thrice at close range then sliced into pieces by rival cult
group last week at Sosanya Street, Egbeda. It happened around 10pm.”
Ajitemisan further noted: “Recently, some policemen
from Gowon Estate came to here; they came to raid cult members. They were led
by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). Last year, three boys were
killed; one at Customs blocks area, another at 34, E Close. The third was
reportedly buried in the former Kuwait site.”
The pastor explained that cultism crept into the
community last year. He stressed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Fatai Owoseni, was aware of the present insecurity facing the community
because he had personally called and discussed the issue with him.
He said: “Drug abuse plays a major role in the life
of these cultists. If you don’t kill the drug, you can’t stop cultism. Their
normal and habitual drug is Indian hemp. Most of them are graduates, others are
drop out. Those that dropped out did so after Raji Fashola increased LASU
school fees. And those that graduated can’t get a job. Some of their parents
borrowed money to sponsor their university educations. Drug is everywhere.
That’s why cultism appears to be taking over the country. There’s also
frustration everywhere.”
Ajitemisan, who said he’s connected to cultism in a
special way, said all the kids in the community, including the cultists,
homosexuals, lesbians and prostitutes are his children. He said he had always
counseled those he could find.
His words: “I have told them that cultism and drugs
are not solutions to the challenges in their lives. I was a cultist; most of
their fathers, who wear uniforms, are also cultists. Most of the cult boys get
their guns from their fathers.”
He said that in most of the Community Development
Association (CDA) meetings held in Gowon Estate, the topmost discussion is the
escalating insecurity.
He noted: “There have been reports of people being
slaughtered and injured. The attacks are no longer done at night; it now
happens anytime. Parents and other members of the community are trying to liase
with the police to stem the tide. The clashes are becoming too much. Our next
resolve is to call all the youths and have a meeting with them.”
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