The menace of cult-driven attacks in the Somolu area of Lagos State has got out of hand as innocent residents have become prey to rampaging gangs.
Most recently, suspected cultists numbering about fourteen attacked a community leader and human rights activist, Mr. Vincent Olatunde Vincent, popularly known as Pappy, and shot him several times.
The attack took place at about 1.30pm on October 3 in front of his house onCraig Street.
Olatunde was discussing with a man when he was attacked by suspected members of the Eiye Confraternity, who stormed the area on motorcycles and opened fire on Vincent at close range.
He was able to flee the scene only for three of the gang members to chase him into his premises and resume shooting at him.
Left for dead, Olatunde miraculously survived the attack and was rushed to the hospital.
The suspected cultists fled the scene without confrontation from the policemen attached to the Alade Police Station, which is located few streets away from the scene of the attack.
Olatunde said he incurred the wrath of the suspected cultists due to his stand against occultism, armed robbery and violent crime in Somolu.
Narrating his ordeal, he said, “I saw the cultists. I was coming from outside back to Craig Street where I live. This was around 1. 30pm. A lady came to tell me that her brother said suspected cultists want to kill somebody. I asked her who they wanted to kill but she said she did not know. I knew that I would become a target after I stopped some youth from burning the Alade police station on Tuesday over an Okada rider’s altercation with the police.
“The suspected cultists wanted to attack the station and use the opportunity to loot and terrorise the community but I stood with the police and chased them away. I told them that they were not commercial motorcycle riders and so could not protest over what did not concern them. Moreover, they have not been having a field day in Somolu as they used to and they blamed me for the arrest of some of their gang leaders like Oseni Rasaki known as Elewure and others who are on the wanted list of the police so they came in their might that day to kill me.”
Continuing the narration, he added, “A boy called Hakeem was standing in front of me pleading on behalf of his father because it was his father that led people, who wanted to burn the Alade Police Station. As I was still talking to the boy, I saw the movement of the Okada riders and people I recognised as deadly cultists. I saw one boy named Famous,T-boy and others loitering on my street and before I could ask why they were hanging around, the cultists jumped from their bikes and opened fire to scare people. One of them shot at me but the bullet hit the guy (Hakeem) standing in front of me. They opened fire and the bullet hit the guy on his back again. At that moment, I fled into my house but three of them named Afilo, T-boy and one Igbo boy wearing a mask ran after me.”
With everyone else scampering for safety, Vincent was left to the ire of his attackers. They broke down the doors to his house and continued their assault. “I saw Afilo; he was the hitman. I know every one of them. There was no place for me to escape to and seeing that I was surrounded, I told myself I was not going to die because I don’t see myself dying. I summoned courage and opened the door and they were right in front of me with the guns. I said ‘Afilo,you came to kill me.’ Afilo was shocked that I recognised him. At that moment I turned my back to him and he told me, ‘You, Supol Taofeek and Inspector Smart made the police to arrest Elewure (Rasaki Oseni). We will kill you first and then go for the others.’ That was how Afilo shot me twice on my back. As I turned in pain to look at his face, the second bullet barely hit my eyes and I collapsed and blood started gushing out. When he saw blood, he told the others that I was dead and they have completed their mission. Immediately he called a number on his mobile phone and told the person I was dead and they fled leaving me in the pool of my own blood.”
According to Olatunde, he staggered out of his premises and called for help. He was rushed to the hospital where pellets were removed from his body. His left arm was also placed in a Plaster Of Paris (POP).
“People came to my rescue and called the police but there was no help from the officers. My wife and friends took me to the hospital and I was rushed to the operating theatre. The bullets hit my left shoulder and caused a fracture. The doctor removed some cartridges from my body but they said there are about 27 more in my body to be removed. I am happy to be alive but it is sad that the government and the police have allowed cultists to overrun Somolu, Bariga, Mushin and environs. People can no longer walk on the street or sleep in their houses in peace due to fear of rampaging cultists. This incident happened in broad day light just a few metres from the Alade police station but the police did not show up. I guess everyone should now take responsibility for their own safety as these boys are mean and extremely deadly and the police are helpless while the government have turned a blind eye to this menace.”
Telegraph was informed that Hakeem, the other victim who the cultists shot alongside Olatunde, is in a critical condition. It was also gathered that four unidentified young men were killed by suspected cultists in different parts of Somolu and Bariga on the same day Olatunde was attacked.
The suspected gang leader Oseni Rasaki also known as Elewure, for whose sake the attack on Olatunde was carried out, is currently in the police custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba.