Over 30 vehicles have been vandalised in street fights in Itire, Ijeshatedo and Ilasamaja, Lagos communities.
The fights occurred on Saturday and Sunday. Residents of the communities were left in tears after hoodlums destroyed their property.
About 14 of the hoodlums were said to have sustained injuries.
At Lamina Street, Ilasamaja in Mushin Local Government Area, the boys were seen yesterday with various weapons, chasing one another.
Residents said it has become a regular occurrence in the area.
“Mostly, the fights are between some guys in Ilasamaja and their Itire counterparts,” Segun Ola, a resident said. “We need police to curb their activities.”
Another resident Tunde Aje said police officers always raid the area after the warring boys have left. Those arrested at times are innocents, he said.
The Itire and Ijeshatedo communities’ crisis, which took place on Saturday, left the residents scampering for safety.
The hoodlums are called No Salary Boys, residents said.
The streets affected were Shobande, Salami Bashorun, Ogunmuyiwa, Lagos Street, Oredola, and Ogunsami.
Police were alerted and some officers led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Itire Divisional Police Station were deployed to the area.
An eyewitness said the hoodlums left before police arrived.
Residents urged police to increase patrol in the areas.
Shakirudeen Opeyemi said something should be done urgently to reign on the activities of the hoodlums.
“I really feel pity for all the owners of those vandalised vehicles. Over 30 vehicles vandalized today, just because of some useless and miscreant boys,” he said.
Victor Oyefeso suggested that there should be an immediate House to House compilation of identity of at least every male from age 13 to 45.
“That way, it is easy to make arrest or identify gangs perpetrating violence in the council. Violent hotspots such as Ijesha Market, Salami Bashorun, Jinadu, Okada Junction among others, should be identified. These should be regularly patrolled by the police and intelligence report should be gathered through the Neighbourhood Watch,” he said.
Kenny Idowu said Itire is not safe.
Idowu added that it’s becoming more terrible with regular fights by the hoodlums. “It’s really disheartening. The best that we have seen is that these young boys get arrested and a few days later, they are back on the streets. What is the fate of the victims whose cars have been vandalised? And how come we keep seeing these boys back on the streets. I have once been a victim, my mini bus was destroyed. We went to Itire Police Station, from there we directed to Anti-Cultism section, but came out of it,” he said.
Kingsley Muoneke blamed some parents for the miscreants’ activities.
“This is a total collapse of home training and a lack of parental upbringing by the parents. When these boys are arrested, you find most parents shouting that their wards are innocent of the crimes they are arrested for and still the parents are aware that their wards are into cultism and thuggery.
“How do you bring in investors and developments with this type of rascality? It’s a big issue that had to do with having a town hall meeting where residents and stakeholders have to come together and agree on how to raid Ijesha and Itire of these menace of cultism and thuggish acts,” Muoneke said.
Johnson Heaven said there should be big punishment for those apprehended.
He also wondered how the hoodlums regain freedom a few days after they have been arrested.
He said, “To me, the hoodlums’ activities are being handled with levity because; they know that whatever they do, nobody, not even our police, will punish or question them and it encourages them to do more. If there are heavy punishments for them once they are apprehended, they will never try to cause riot anymore.”
Chairman of Itire-Ikate LCDA Ahmed Apatira, who visited the affected streets, said his administration cannot to continue to accept plea bargain for anyone involved in the crisis.
“I am stating in strong terms any persons apprehended henceforth either teenager or an adult will be made to face the full weight of the law,” he said.
Apatira also visited Itire Divisional Police Station and Ijesha Police Post respectively to have a closed door meetings with the DPOs.