15th August, 2017
No fewer than two youths were reportedly shot dead by some miscreants, popularly known as ‘Area boys’ from Okepopo area on Lagos Island in different attacks against their opponents.
Also, six other people who were shot but escaped death were at different hospitals on the Island after the attack by Okepopo boys who invaded some streets, looking for their opponents.
Residents and traders on the Island were said to be living in fear as the notorious boys were said to always attack unexpectedly, looting goods and shooting sporadically at people seen around or believed to be trying to obstruct them.
The dead victims include one Small Shakiru, shot at Agarawu area on Monday night and another youth whose name was not known as at the time of this report, was stabbed in the left eye while returning to his house at Onola area last week.
Others with gun wound include a ‘Keke Marwa’ driver, Saheed Obiripo who was shot at Haffiner; an Igbo trader at Andrew Street who refused to release his bag to the boys; a woman returning from her shop on Saturday evening, another trader and two other youths, Sunday and Tandor who were believed to be harboring some of Okepopo boys’ opponents.
According to a source, one of the Okepopo boys attended a social gathering at Luther area on the Island some weeks back and was stabbed in the neck by another youth from Onola area, which prompted the Okepopo boys to threaten a reprisal attack.
The source said, “Some few days later, the Okepopo boys started attacking Onola boys but suffered serious casualties because they met stiff opposition from Onola boys. As a result of this, they re-planned their strategy and started attacking people with locally made guns and used the opportunity to rob.”
“The notorious boys now operate at Evans, Massey, Palm-church, Swamp, Apogbe, Olushi, Agarawu, Tom-Jones, Wahab Folawiyo, Nnamdi Azikwe, Alli, Haffner, Onikepo, Obadina, Onola and Aroloya Streets”, he added.
“One boy called ‘Palava’ is the one who is leading the notorious Okepopo boys with two Dane guns while his other members go out with weapons like cutlasses, knives and broken bottles”, he revealed.
The source added that Palava appeared untouchable as he had connection with some frontline politicians in Lagos, saying that “If he is arrested today, you will see him again the following or the third day. So, he is untouchable but other youths have now gang-up in all areas.”
While fielding questions from crime reporters at the Police officers’ mess, Ikeja during a Press conference, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni said that the reported incident that many traders were not opening their shops for fear of incessant attack was an exaggeration. adding that the menace of the notorious youths on the Island “is not anything that is unusual”.
He said, “Police are now using pro-active measure to curb the activities of the notorious boys, but you people are to be blame because when you parents indulge your children in bad acts and prevent them from being apprehend by the Police, what do you expect to occur? The Police are making efforts to deal with them adequately”.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that elders in some areas, particularly at Agarawu, Onola, Aroloya and others had empowered their youths with some weapons to combat any further attack from any angle.