Residents flee as hoodlums kill policemen, injure many

Punch

Some suspected hoodlums on Thursday, killed two policemen and injured unspecified number of residents in Imowo Nla community in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

One of the policemen, named Ikpi Ikpi, an inspector, was said to have been ambushed in the early hours of Wednesday.

An eyewitness, who craved anonymity, said Ikpi and some of his men were going for a  raid in company with some residents when he met his untimely death.

The eyewitness said, “It was around 4am on Wednesday when Ikpi went for a raid in the community. But unknown to him, some hoodlums from Ikorodu had laid siege to the community.

“Because the community was enveloped in darkness at that time, the Inspector and his men were unaware of the hoodlums’ presence. Ikpi was hit by a bullet fired by the hoodlums.”

He said the other policeman, who died on Thursday, was cut with machete on Tuesday, when the hoodlums numbering over 100 first invaded the community.

 “On Tuesday when the hoodlums struck, only four policemen were available. The hoodlums attacked the policemen to send signal to the community.  Three of the policemen ran away, but the last one was inflicted with machete cuts.

“The policeman, who was initially rushed to a hospital in Ikorodu, died today (Thursday),” the eyewitness said.

PUNCH Metro learnt that some of the hoodlums were members of the Imowo Nla community.

A community leader, who did not want his name mentioned, said, “Some of them are our children. They have aligned with some criminals to unleash mayhem on the community because they do not have the freedom to sell lands anyhow in the community.

Because of the invasion by the hoodlums, residents have fled their homes.

A resident, who identified himself as Wale, said fear had pervaded the entire area as the hoodlums usually come out in the night to unleash havoc.

It was learnt that some of the hoodlums had been arrested by the police.

It was learnt that officers of the Police Mobile Force and men from Area N command overpowered some of the hoodlums and arrested an unspecified number of them.

Head of Ifegbua Family in Imowo Nla, Chief Ishaka Aborisade, appealed to the relevant authorities to ensure permanent security presence in the community.

Aborisade said if not for the heavy police presence in the area, the casualties would have been unimaginable.

He urged the government to investigate those unleashing mayhem on the community.

When PUNCH Metro visited the community on Thursday, it was observed that the small community was heavily guarded by fierce-looking policemen drawn from the Mobile Unit and from Area N command.