Taiwo Jimoh
Palpable tension has
taken over the Ibafo-Ishefun community, Ogun State, following series of rape
attacks on teenage girls by a group known as, ‘Ishefun Boys.’
For reasons yet unknown,
these boys seem to derive sadistic pleasure in gang-rape. It was gathered that some
ladies, who had been gang raped, have relocated from the community.
One of the raped
victims, a 17-year-old girl, who simply gave her name, as Toyin, told our
correspondent that she was returning from an errand on July 16, 2019, when the
boys jumped her. The time was about 9pm.
Toyin said that the
boys were five in number. They accosted and dragged her into an uncompleted building
and took turns to rape her.
Our correspondent
gathered that aside from Toyin, other girls had been raped by the hoodlums, who
have taken control of the community.
Another girl,
16-year-old, who is an apprentice fashion designer, was attacked and dragged
into a bush by five boys just as she was returning from work.
She said: “When I got
to Ishefun Junction, two of the hoodlums ordered me to stop. Since I didn’t
have any business with either of them, I continued walking. Before I knew what
was happening, three other boys came out of the bush. They dragged me into the
bush. I couldn’t scream; my mouth was covered with a piece of cloth. When they
were through, I couldn’t walk. It was after 20 minutes, that a cyclist, who
happened to be a member of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), rescued and took
me to our house.
“I was rushed to
hospital, where I spent two weeks. As
I’m speaking with you, none of the hoodlums have been arrested. We reported the
matter at Ibafo Police Station. Some elders in our community went to the place
where those boys live, but they were not there. It seems they have relocated
out of the community. Some of them are in Shote village, a neighbouring
community. I learnt three other girls were also raped.”
Again, another girl was
alleged to have been raped in the presence of her parents at Shote community.
A resident, Mrs Dupe
Shotayo, said: “We’re under siege! The hoodlums, who call themselves ‘Ishefun
boys,’ have taken over our community. We can no longer send our girls on errand
at night. If you do, they would gang rape them. One fateful day, the hoodlums attacked
a 16-year-old girl. I was in my room with my husband when I heard her screaming
for help. But because of the fear these boys have created in our minds,
whenever we hear a call for help, nobody dares go out to help.”
The woman further said:
“Unfortunately, where the incident occurred was an isolated area. The hoodlums
terrorising the community are teenagers between ages 16 and 18. Some of them
where brought from Lagos State into the community by their parents. They came
to hide in the community in attempt to evade arrest, after committing crime in
Lagos. They are now causing havoc here.”
A widow in the
community, who also wished to be anonymous, said: “The leader of the hoodlums, called
Ibrahim, lives with his sister. It’s in that house he and other boys use as
their assembly ground. They always assemble between 10pm and 11 pm, when most
people are resting. It is also at that hour they would start smoking Indian
hemp.
“Whenever they are
smoking their Indian hemp, nobody dares to confront them. Anyone, who dares,
would regret the day he or she was born. They would attack and beat the person.
Ibrahim was brought from Lagos to settle in Ibafo, because of the crime he
committed. Unfortunately, when he got to our community, he became more hardened
to the extent that he was made the leader of the hoodlums.
“I heard that one of
the hoodlums was making advances to the girl, she turned him down. Out of annoyance,
one of the hoodlums mobilised his colleagues. They went to the girl’s parents’
house and forced their way in. They took turn to rape her in the presence of
her parents.”
The widow continued: “That is what we have
been battling with in this community. Nobody dares to confront the hoodlums
because they always walk in group. Whenever they commit any crime, they would
disappear and then return to the community after the dust has settled. Out of
shame, three of the girls relocated out of the community to Lagos. Aside the
gang rape, these boys are also into looting of peoples’ shops at night.”
Mr. Ogunbodede Adebisi alleged that the police
were also contributing to the problem in the community.
He said: “Whenever we
go to the Ibafo Police Station to report the activities of these boys, Police would
arrest and then released them back into the community. The boys will return,
emboldened and continued in their evil trade. This is why I said police are contributing
to the problem. Sometimes, we would be resting in our various houses and we would
suddenly hear the sound of people running for safety. If not because of the
property I have in this community, I would have moved out of this community to
a safer place.”
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