At least 50
people were injured and property worth millions of naira destroyed after
suspected thugs, yesterday, stormed Finniger and Abule-Ado areas of Satellite
town, Lagos State.
The
attackers, after invading the communities, allegedly looted shops and trucks.
The thugs also burnt some trucks and shops.
The attack
grounded commercial activities, with some banks hurriedly shutting down for the
day. Petrified residents were said to have scampered to different directions.
According to
an eye witness, trouble started in the morning of Tuesday, after armed thugs,
believed to have been recruited from Benin Republic by an alleged terrorist
gang base at Oguntade village in Old Ojo road, Satellite town, invaded shops
and residential areas, demanding money from people.
The eyewitness
further narrated that the thugs, who were armed to the teeth with sophisticated
weapons, shot sporadically to scare people, especially truck drivers.
An
eyewitness, who didn’t want his name mentioned, said: “ The thugs succeeded in
breaking into homes and carting away valuables after which they subjected people
to beatings. People who tried to confront them, were shot and others wounded. The
thugs wore masks and during the attack made bon-fires. They attacked truck
drivers, who refused to give them money and damaged their vehicles.”
A truck
driver, Ibrahim Muhammed, explained that the thugs attacked them at their park on
Tuesday midnight, demanding money.
Muhammed
said: “ They are members of a notorious gang that had been unleashing mayhem in
Finniger, Abule-Ado and Mile2 areas for long. They attacked truck drivers
carrying out their legitimate businesses in Finniger last week and wounded many
of us. Some of our members were also killed during the clash when we
resisted their attempt to extort us. They have been doing this for long
and all efforts to make the police help us have failed. Their major targets
are members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, (NUPPENG)
and they have made life very difficult for us all. We have lost millions
of naira and many trucks each time they attack. They attack with all
kinds of dangerous weapons including stones and bottles, which they carried in wheel
barrows.”
Yesterday,
the communities were deserted and commercial activities remain grounded. Truck
drivers abandoned their vehicles and took to their heels while major roads were
blocked with bon-fires still smoldering.
It was
however gathered that a team of policemen from Satellite Police Station, had earlier
visited the scene, but allegedly left because of superior gun power from the
thugs.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana,
when contacted, said: “I am not aware of the attack.”
He, however, promised to find out the facts of the case and get back to
our correspondent. But as at the time of filing in this report, he was yet to
get back.
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