Two killed in cults shooting at Ikorodu

Etim Ekpimah

Two people were killed on Sunday night around 8pm, when two rival cults clashed at Laara/Igbe in the Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Some residents, who said the shots sent every one scurrying for cover, noted that the hoodlums looted many shops in the process.

A resident, speaking with our correspondent on grounds of anonymity, said Laara has been bedevilled by hoodlums, who often times loot shops and spill blood.

According to him, cult clashes in the area have been so frequent that hardly there is a month in which one, two, or even more cases will not been experienced.

He said: “What a life experience tonight at Laara! I’ve seen people shooting not in real life but in films. Laara was thrown into chaos a few minutes ago, when young men engaged one another in continuous shooting with different firearms.

“The once bustling place suddenly became quiet as hoodlums were busy firing weapons, which led to the killing of two people.

“Not done, they also looted shops, kiosks since their owners abandoned them and fled for their lives. It was a night that survivors will ever live to tell the tale.”

Another resident, who identified herself simply as Funke, said she had to lock herself inside her shop to ward off stray bullets and also to prevent the cultists from looting the place.

She added that she suffered losses when the cultists attacked the area last month. She confided in our correspondent that she stepped out of her shop to pick something from a nearby shop when the hoodlums broke into the shop and looted goods worth N120,000.

“I don’t think I’ll ever renew my rent when it expires next year. I’ve suffered losses since I came to Laara to do business. I’m tired of the area. I think it’s high time I should leave the place for them.

“This is what I do to take care of my family since my husband lost his job during the COVID-19 lockdown. If I continue to do business here, I don’t know if they will carry everything from the shop or even kill me,” she said.

Efforts to get reactions from the Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State, SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi has been unsuccessful as he neither answered calls made into his telephone nor responded to text messages which had been sent to him.