03082019 - Worsening Insecurity: Suspected herdsmen kill Catholic priest in Enugu

26—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019
Lagos destitute home turns den of thieves
By Victor Arjiromanus
From a distance, one perceives an
acrid stench oozing from the
building that serves as
accomodation for a crowd of men and
women. An inscription, ‘Welcome to
Oko Baba Destitute Home’, quickly
brings one in touch with the lowest ebb
of humanity.
The Destitute home, popularly known
as Beggars colony, is situated in the
Ebute Ero area of Lagos. It was
established in 1988 during the
administration of Buba Marwa, to
accomodate the less privileged. It is a
dynasty for the destitutes. The beggars
were in regiments,with some looking
hungry and pale, women moved up
and down the lane, holding their
malnourished and weak infants close
to their chests.
The men on the other hand, looked
very lean with the youths, both boys and
girls looking ravenous, each holding
and puffing weeds to the air. Sadly, the
complex which was established for the
singular purpose of housing the poor,
has been turned into a den of criminals
of various categories , who unleash
mayhem on innocent people, including
their benefactors.
Information revealed that
perpetrators of the heinous crimes there
, might not be those living inside the
Oko Baba destitute home as some
social miscreants and rogues have
made the place an abode. Whenever
they committed a crime, they would run
to the destitute home, masquerading as
beggars. This colony , also shares
an entrance with another compound
which according to residents,
accommodates irredeemable
miscreants who most times make life
unbearable for residents, especially
guests who visited beggars with gifts.
Task Force blamed
Residents also blamed activities of
these hoodlums on the Lagos State Task
Force. They accused the Task Force of
using the destitute home as a dumpsite
for criminals and beggars picked from
the streets. On arrival at their new
homes, these dumped individuals would
become hardened and resort to
dispossessing residents of their
valuables, all in a bid to eke a living.
Vanguard Reporter’s ordeal
This reporter didn’t find it difficult
to establish the rumored notoriety of
the area, as he was a ready-made
victim of their criminality.
He had gone to cover the visit of Little
Miss Nigeria Pet Project to feed the less
privileged. Barely had he approached
the colony and was taking shots of it,
The beggers( eating during a visit by
little Miss Nigeria, Masoma Ikuagwu)
than he was surrounded by fierce
looking miscreants who ordered him to
give them money and other valuables
he came with. An attempt to resist them
almost resulted in him being gang
beaten. At the end, he was forced to part
with every kobo he had, including his
mobile phone and wristwatch.
One of the visitors who was going to
get something from his car also got a
fair share of the criminals traits. They
hauled insults on him when he insisted
he would not part with any of his
valuables.
The destitute home
Residents lament
Residents of the area lamented that
they had been living in fear since these
criminals started operating. Some of
them have long stopped relatives and
friends from visiting them, owing to the
harassment and intimidation they went
thorugh in the hands of the miscreants.
One of the residents who simply gave
his name as Josiah, said, “ Both boys
and girls are rouges here. They indulge
in occultism and make life unbearable
for people. Several times they
robbed people, including those who
came to make donations to the
beggars.
Another resident (name withheld),
said , “ sometimes, they broke into our
shops and carted away our goods”.
Election thugs
The miscreants were also alleged to
be used as thugs during elections. A
resident said “perhaps, that is why
despite their notoriety in the area,
security agents have not done
anything to check their excesses. They
were always used by some politicians to
carry out nefarious activities”.
Some residents in the area have
therefore called on the state
government to carry out renovation
work on the home , as well as provide
basic amenities , including security that
would ensure their safety.
Save our teenagers from rapists- Ogun community cries out
By Evelyn Usman
Ibafo –Ishefun community in
Obafemi Owode Local Government
Area of Ogun State, is gradually losing
its vibrancy, owing to what residents
described as rape of their girls,
particularly teenagers by some
hoodlums.
At the moment, girls in the area are
prevented from walking alone,
particularly at night, as they might end
up falling victims of rape.
So far, more than 10 girls were said to
have been gang raped by these
hoodlums, in two weeks. A recent
incident occurred on July 16, 2019,
after a 17-year-old girl identified
simply as Toyin, was gang raped.
Toyin, was sent on an errand but on
He did it and threathened to kill me- defiled 8yr old girl tells police
By Evelyn Usman
An eight-year-old girl has
narrated how she was defiled by
a 34-year-old man, Saheed
Bolarinwa in Somolu area of Lagos
State.
The unsuspecting girl, was allegedly
lured by the suspect to his apartment on
the pretext to go and watch television,
only to take advantage of her.
However, her mother who returned
from a journey, noticed that her
daughter was walking with difficulty.
On enquiry, she told her how she was
defiled. Her confession led to the arrest
of the suspect by policemen at Somolu
division.
At the station, the girl, said , “ uncle
Saheed put it inside ( pointing to her
private part) I shouted. He told me not
to tell anybody. He said if I did he
would kill me”. She repeated the
her way back home by 9p.m, five rough
looking muscular men accosted and
dragged her into an uncompleted
building, where they took turns to rape
her.
A week earlier, another teenager
(names withheld) was reportedly raped.
Residents said that she was sexually
abused right in front of her defenseless
parents at Shote Street in the
community. This happened few days
after two girls were reportedly raped in
the community.
A resident, Mrs Dupe Shotayo, alleged
that the crime was committed by some
hoodlums who called themselves
Ishefun boys.
Explaining how she witnessed the rape
of a 16-year-old girl, she said, “On the
fateful day,I was in my room with my
statement about four times without mincing
words.
Coordinator of Advocate for Children and
Vulnerable Persons Network of Nigeria,
Somolu Local Government Area, Comrade
Toyin Okanlawon, who reported the matter
to the Police, said that the suspect fled at
the initial stage.
He said, “He was arrested when he came
into the community on Monday to pick his
motorbike. When the suspect was arrested
by the policemen, the victim was called in
to identify him and she was able to point at
him as the person who abused her. The
victim was later taken to Women at Risk
International foundation (WARIF), where
she was medically tested and confirmed to
have been abused by the suspect. I want to
appreciate the DPO of Alade police station
for his fatherly role in the arrest of the
suspect. The suspect has been transferred to
Gender Section of the state Command
headquarter for further investigation.”
husband when we heard the girl
shouting for help. But nobody could go
out because the incident occurred in an
isolated area. Surprisingly, those
behind this atrocity are teenagers
between ages of 16 and 18. Some of
them were brought to the community
from Lagos by their parents to hide, in
order to evade arrest after committing
crimes there”.
Another resident who simply gave his
name as Seun, said, “Everyone knows
who these hoodlums are and who their
leader is. They usually assembled
between 10pm and 11 pm. During such
gathering, they would be smoking
Indian hemp and nobody would dare
confront them.
“One of the girls that turned down
their advances, was gang raped right in
the presence of her parents. Aside the
•Saheed Bolarinwa
rape, they also loot people’s shops.
Anytime they commit crime, they would
disappear and come back after the dust
has settled. Three girls who were
sexually abused have relocated from the
community”, she said.
Victim’s account
A lady who claimed to be a victim of
rape stated that she was accosted while
returning from work by three hoodlums.
She said, “When I got to Ishefun
Junction, two of the hoodlums ordered
me to stop but because I had no
business with them, I kept on walking.
But they dragged me into the bush. I
couldn’t scream as I was gagged. When
they were done, they abandoned me in
the bush until a motorcyclist who was a
member of the Oodua Peoples Congress,
OPC passed by and took me to my
house from where I was rushed to the
hospital”. As at Thursday, the hoodlums
were said to have fled the community,
after news of their recent act spread
round.
When asked if the case had been
reported to the Police, one of the
residents, Mr Ogunbodede Adebisi, said
yes. He however, said, “ Whenever we
report to the Police at Ibafo division,
arrest would be effected. But these
hoodlums would be seen on the street
again, doing what they know how to do
best.
When the Ogun State Police Public
Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola
Oyeyemi, was contacted, he said, “I
don’t believe that the case was reported
to the Police because the Divisional
Police Officer in Ibafo is a no nonsense
policeman. He has arrested several
hoodlums, majority of whom have been
prosecuted He is one of the most
upright DPO’s . Besides, rape offence is
not a matter that is treated at the
divisional level, such case is transferred
to the state command”.