6th June, 2011
Residents and traders around Tejuoso Market in Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos State have called on the state Police Command and other security agencies to deploy their men to the back of the market now under construction to stem the nefarious activities of hoodlums in the area.
They said the hoodlums have turned the place to a permanent abode where they unleash terror on unsuspecting passers-by by dispossessing them of valuables, while female victims are raped even in broad daylight.
Narrating her ordeal, a victim, Mrs. Bose Williams, who said she was attacked yesterday, said she was going to attend a social club’s meeting at Sabo, Yaba around and boarded a tricycle commonly called Keke Marwa, from Barracks at about 12.30 p.m.
According to her, as soon as she alighted from the tricycle, she was confused on how to get to Yaba bus stop and some people directed her to take a pathway at the back of the market to get to her destination.
“Just as I was approaching Yaba bus stop, a gang of hoodlums numbering more than 10 accosted me and tried to harass me, while I pleaded with them that I lost my way, but my pleadings fell on their deaf ears as they began to ransack my bag which contained only my handset which they said is old fashioned.
“Thereafter, they said I should bail myself and offered them N1,000 which they rejected, threatening to deal with me if I did not cooperate with them. I had to add the last N500 on me to the amount which they rejected initially and was only allowed to go unhurt after much pleadings,†Williams recounted.
She therefore appealed to security agents to clear the area of the hoodlums, whose activities posed danger to treaders, their customers and passers-by.
—Akinloye Adelusi