Finally the angry residents of Ikorodu, Lagos State, went berserk in the early hours of Sunday, lynching three suspected members of the notorious ritual cult, Badoo, in the Odogunyan area.
This is just as the police said over 100 persons suspected to be members of the cult had been arrested during raids on Bayeku, Ipakodo, Ibeshe and Odongunyan, among other communities in Ikorodu.
The arrest followed reports on the spate of killings by the cult that had murdered no fewer than 26 residents and injured several others within a year.
The casualties were recorded in 15 attacks from June 5, 2016 to June 28, 2017 and the story published on Friday, July 30.
It is learnt that the residents, who had decided to keep vigils in securing themselves and their families, flagged down a Honda-Compact Recreational Vehicle with three occupants at about 2am on Sunday on Oduyebo Street, near Odogunyan bus stop.
A resident of the area, Olakunle Wahab, said the suspects confessed to being members of the cult before they were lynched.
He said, “The three persons were in a CRV without a number plate. They were stopped and asked where they were going to, but they could not give a satisfactory answer.
The vigilantes reportedly asked them where they were heading for and the reason for having the objects in the vehicle, especially the stone,
“They were asked to call somebody they knew on the telephone, but they could not do so. When their vehicle was searched, a big stone which Badoo members usually used to smash heads of their victims, and some other objects were found there.
As they were being beaten up, they demanded to be handed over to the police.
“But the vigilantes claimed that they would be freed if they were handed over to the police. In fact, the mob chased away a police patrol team that came to rescue the suspects.”
This is just as the police said over 100 persons suspected to be members of the cult had been arrested during raids on Bayeku, Ipakodo, Ibeshe and Odongunyan, among other communities in Ikorodu.
The arrest followed reports on the spate of killings by the cult that had murdered no fewer than 26 residents and injured several others within a year.
The casualties were recorded in 15 attacks from June 5, 2016 to June 28, 2017 and the story published on Friday, July 30.
It is learnt that the residents, who had decided to keep vigils in securing themselves and their families, flagged down a Honda-Compact Recreational Vehicle with three occupants at about 2am on Sunday on Oduyebo Street, near Odogunyan bus stop.
A resident of the area, Olakunle Wahab, said the suspects confessed to being members of the cult before they were lynched.
He said, “The three persons were in a CRV without a number plate. They were stopped and asked where they were going to, but they could not give a satisfactory answer.
The vigilantes reportedly asked them where they were heading for and the reason for having the objects in the vehicle, especially the stone,
“They were asked to call somebody they knew on the telephone, but they could not do so. When their vehicle was searched, a big stone which Badoo members usually used to smash heads of their victims, and some other objects were found there.
“But the vigilantes claimed that they would be freed if they were handed over to the police. In fact, the mob chased away a police patrol team that came to rescue the suspects.”
So the residents beat them up and eventually set them and the CRV ablaze.
The PPRO urged residents to desist from jungle justice, adding that the police would go after perpetrators and bring them to justice.
He said, “Apart from the overt raids, there were also covert raids and over 100 suspected Badoo members have been arrested.
“It is a continuous operation and we will rid Ikorodu of criminals.
“We will screen the suspects to determine those who are likely to be innocent and those that will be charged to court.
“Also, our operatives responded to a distress call from some residents of Odogunyan in the early hours of today (Sunday) that some suspects were apprehended. Before we got there, they had been lynched.
“By so doing, the information needed has been destroyed. It was also possible that innocent persons were lynched.”
He said, “Apart from the overt raids, there were also covert raids and over 100 suspected Badoo members have been arrested.
“It is a continuous operation and we will rid Ikorodu of criminals.
“We will screen the suspects to determine those who are likely to be innocent and those that will be charged to court.
“Also, our operatives responded to a distress call from some residents of Odogunyan in the early hours of today (Sunday) that some suspects were apprehended. Before we got there, they had been lynched.
“By so doing, the information needed has been destroyed. It was also possible that innocent persons were lynched.”
