Two suspected members of the
dreaded Badoo gang were caught
and set ablaze by an angry mob in
different places during the week.
One of them then was lynched in
Igbo-Oluwo area of Ikorodu in
Lagos State yesterday, while the
other met his tragic end at Ogijo, a
border town in Ogun State earlier in
the week.
The first suspect, according to sources, was allegedly caught at
about 2 a.m at Igbo-Oluwo Estate, Lowa, and was later set
ablaze at Jumofak Bus Stop, near Igbo-Oluwo.
It was learnt that the gang member, who allegedly rubbed his
body with engine oil, was caught naked with a big stone.
He was said to have run inside an uncompleted building while
he was being chased by vigilant residents.
A resident identified as Charles told The Nation that the Badoo
member, who allegedly refused to reveal his sponsors, begged
the mob to spare his life to no avail.
It was said that the angry residents also shrugged off attempts
by some community leaders to hand the suspect to the police.
A source said: “The suspect was intercepted while attempting to
break into a house in the community in the wee hours of today
(yesterday). He was caught naked and smelling of engine oil
which he had rubbed on his body in order to avoid being
intercepted.
“He attempted to scale the fence into a building when he sighted
residents who were keeping vigil over the neighbourhood. He
immediately ran away and hid inside an uncompleted building
where he was finally apprehended.
“Despite the torture he received from the furious residents, he
refused to name his sponsors and instead fruitlessly pleaded for
his life. Attempt to hand him over to the police was dismissed by
a mob and he was set ablaze.”
Fiendish members of the gang had struck at about 1 am on
Wednesday killing four members of a family on Aliu Akinsanya
Street in the Olopomeji area of Odogunyan, Ikorodu.
Killed were David Ike, 50, his wife Margret, 28 and two of their
sons, Ike David (Jnr) and Mathew David, while Friday, their
surviving child, is still in a critical condition at the Ikorodu
General Hospital.
The cult gang has been terrorising and killing residents of
communities in Ikorodu since 2016 with many of gruesome
attacks linked to ritual killings.
The latest attack was the third in two weeks.
It was said that the assailants had scaled the perimeter fence of
a house where the family and the owner of the house lived.
A source said the victims’ apartment was sprayed with a
tranquiliser or sleep inducing substance before they were
attacked.
“After spraying their apartment, the victims fell into a deep
sleep and could not resist the vicious members of the gang who
smashed their heads with heavy stone, leading to the death of
four members of the family, while one of them is still battling
with his life at Ikorodu General Hospital,” said a source who did
not want to be identified.
The incident sparked an outrage as distraught residents staged a
protest at the palace of the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir
Shotobi, to protest the incessant killings.
The monarch was said to have also held meetings with some
community leaders on the way out of the mind-boggling killings.
The Nation gathered that residents have resorted to vigilante
operations to protect themselves.
A number of residents, who spoke with The Nation, said the fear
of the gang necessitated the painful vigil to keep watch over
their neighbourhood.
A resident, Akin Adebola, said the community can no longer
afford to sleep with their eyes closed. He said that residents
decided to keep watch over their community in order to contain
the gang’s activities.
“We can no longer sleep. All residents now keep vigil to prevent
the gang from wrecking more havocs in our community. We set
up bonfires by midnight and stayed outside till the wee hours of
today (Thursday).
“In spite of the fact that my resumption time at work is 8 am, I
had to join my neighbours to keep vigil on our street because I
cannot afford to lose my life and children.”
It was gathered that visitors are now being frisked as part of the
security measures to prevent criminals from gaining access to
the community.
Another resident of Odogunyan, Wale Jelili, said: “You know that
the gang has been targeting occupants of buildings in isolated
environment or areas and Odogunyan is among a number of
Ikorodu communities with isolated areas. Many parts of the
community are just coming up and houses are sometimes a few
meters apart, hence, the gang has shifted its focus to our
neighbourhoods and we have to resist further attacks on this
area.
“We have to do this because help is not coming from anywhere,
especially security forces. We have suffered enough and can no
longer allow a blood-sucking gang to operate freely without
being checked. Although, it is painful to deny ourselves sleep at
night but it is necessary to save our families from extermination
by the Badoo gang.
A source also disclosed that a community vigilante group,
Onyabo, has stepped up routine patrol in the community.
“Onyabo operatives have increased their patrols in our
neighbourhoods. It appears they have been adequately
mobilised with arms and necessary tools to deal with the
situation at hand. Throughout yesterday, they were seen
patrolling the area in vehicles and motorbikes. They stopped at
every point to assist residents who were carrying out vigilante
activities in the community.”
Meanwhile, traditional priests on Thursday carried out rite to
cleanse the community of bloodshed and avert further attacks by
Badoo cultists.
It was gathered that the traditional rite was carried out
peacefully throughout the night till the wee hours of Friday in
most parts of Ikorodu.
According to sources, the traditionalists were addressed by the
Ikorodu monarch, Oba Kabir Shotobi, at his palace ground
before the commencement of the rite.
It will be recalled that about three weeks ago, the gang smashed
the head of a pastor in the Lasuwon area of First Gate, while a
woman and her children were also killed in the Adamo area of
Ikorodu.
The Nation gathered that another member of the gang was
arrested and lynched to death in Ogijo, a town in Ogun State,
which shares border with Ikorodu.
The incident, according to sources, the unidentified naked
suspect also rubbed liquid substance suspected to be engine oil
on his body.
He was said to have led members of a vigilance group that
intercepted him to an uncompleted building where he allegedly
kept his clothes.
It was learnt that he was found with a heavy stone which he
apparently intended to smash on his victims.
Confirming the incident, Police spokesman, Olarinde Famous-
Cole, said: “A suspected Badoo cult member was caught at Igbo
Oluwo Estate, in Jumofak area of Ikorodu. The suspect was set
ablaze and there is an ongoing investigation by the Divisional
Police Officer (DPO) to give report of the recent events in the
area (sic).
“Although, if the suspect was alive and handed over to the
police, he would have given vital information to aid the police.”
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