ADEKEMI Bashola, a Lagosbased media practitioner and resident of Adamo area of Ikorodu, is far from being happy at the moment. He lost his cheerful mien a few weeks ago after the dreaded amorphous gang of ritual killers popularly called Badoo struck in his neighbourhood, killing a woman and her children. Since the incident, Bashola, who only last year moved into the community after completing the construction of his house, has been contemplating moving into a rented apartment in Isolo, a Lagos suburb. His fears became heightened when a few days later, the deadly gang wiped out a family of six in the neighbourhood.
‘’I am seriously looking for money to move away to Isolo, which is very close to my office, because we can no longer sleep in this community with our eyes closed. The home of the woman who was killed with her children is just a few metres away from my house. Whenever I’m not at home, my mind is not at rest for fear of the blood-thirsty gang,” he said. Like Bashola, Adeniyi Ayinde, 56, is living in fear. Despite his background as a military man, the father of four and a landlord in Ibeshe has lost his courage. ‘’I fear for my wife and children because Badoo boys have become elusive since they began their deadly attacks on innocent people a few years ago.
‘’I will be moving out of Ikorodu anytime soon. But pending the time, what I do now is to take coffee in order to keep vigil over my family all night. There are other methods I have adopted, which I cannot share with you for security reasons.’’ Another resident, who gave his name as Seedorf, lamented the sudden break- down of peace in the area, saying: “We don’t understand why evil-minded people chose to shatter the peace we were enjoying in the area. Before now, you could walk around late in the night and sleep without locking your doors. All that is no longer possible.
“First, it was militants. Later, it was cult groups and now it is Badoo. Yet no serious action is seen to have been taken to put an end to this rubbish. The relevant authorities should do something before we descend on them and make them feel what the affected families have suffered.” The Nation gathered that some residents have begun to relocate from the area out of fear. A fear-stricken woman said: “I moved here from Ibeshe where Badoo started their unholy activities when it was clear that the area was no longer safe. Unfortunately, they have moved away from Ibeshe and are invading different communities. I feel that Ikorodu is not safe for now.
A number of my friends have moved to areas like Ketu and Mile 12 while many others are still planning to move out. I also cannot wait to leave. The moment I collect the contribution that I am doing, I will move away with my family.” Heartless killings No fewer than 100 people have been killed since the deadly gang first struck in Ibeshe in June 2016, killing a woman after raping her and inflicting injuries on her eight-month-old baby.
They returned to the community the following month, raping a 60-year-old woman named Francisca and leaving her blind, while her 10-yearold daughter who raised the alarm was brutalised. Since the first two attacks, members of the group, who are widely suspected to be ritual killers based on their mode of operation, have made life unbearable for residents. The hoodlums would invade homes in the dead of the night, rape minors and maim them without sparing their parents. A number of nuclear families have been reported wiped out by the group while carrying out their dastardly acts.
On October 21, 2016, the gang members hacked to death a man identified as Kazeem, his pregnant wife, Afusat (30) and the couple’s two children—Rodiat (6) and Opeyemi (5) in the Oluwoye area of Ibeshe. On December 26, 2016, the gang maimed Azeezat Oriade and her brother, Habeeb, on Saka Adegbose Street, off Olu Odo Road, Ibeshe, Ikorodu, and also killed a woman and her three children on Mosafejo area of Agbowa part of the community.
The brutal killing of innocent residents continued on April 11, 2017 when the gang killed a school leaver, Lucky Ebhodaghe, and his father and mother at their residence in Ibeshe Tuntun. The assailants inflicted deep machete cuts on Lucky’s father, while his mother was raped before she was killed. Grisly killings were also carried out on May 3, 2017 when the gang attacked a family of six at Adeke Bus Stop, Adamo in Imota area of Ikorodu. The gang killed a man, Taofiq Agbaje, his wife Simiat, and two of their four children, Rodiat (10) and Toyeebat (8), while the couple’s two other children, Mardiya (13) and her one-year-old sister reportedly sustained injuries.
The gang had sneaked into the couple’s apartment after tearing the window net and removing the burglar-proof in their home. In the wee hours of May 28, 2017, the ritual killers again wiped out a family of five, including a pregnant woman, at Itamaga area of Ikorodu area of Lagos State. The heartless invaders allegedly killed the pregnant woman, sliced her womb and removed her foetus. Fighting terror The Nation gathered that the activities of the group have made the residents to employ different strategies to ward off the cult group from their communities as the menace has made it impossible for them to sleep with their two eyes closed.
In some communities, members have reportedly been carrying out traditional rites, including Oro, to prevent Badoo members from visiting their homes. The landlords in some other communities have sacked their night guards and resorted to watching their areas by themselves to avoid any act of betrayal. A resident of Parafa area of the community, who identified himself simply as Ayo, said they have resorted to observe the Oro festival from time to time after the cult group attacked and killed two of its members. Ayo said: “Oro festival has become a regular thing here in Parafa after the hoodlums killed some people people in the area.
The community is not taking any chance after the attack that sent jitters down the spines of everybody in our area. “In spite of the Oro rites, many people are still living in fear because of the cult group. We don’t enjoy our night sleep anymore because anything can happen.
I have resorted to sleeping in the same room with my children and my wife so that if anything wants to happen, I will be aware and raise the alarm,” he said. The same approach was said to have been employed by residents of Gberigbe and its environs after the hoodlums attacked a neighbouring community, Ijede. A resident who identified himself simply as Musibau said: “There is no way one would not be afraid of this ugly and mysterious development.
There is an adage that one cannot sleep in his house and break his neck. But that appears not to be true anymore. Here in Ikorodu, people don’t only break their necks while sleeping, they get killed in their homes for no just cause and nothing is being done to arrest the situation. “It is only at community levels that you see landlords spending their time, energy and resources to tackle the challenge. After the group invaded Ijede, which is a stone’s throw from here, our community carried out Oro rites to make it impossible for the group to come here. We have not smelt their presence in this area obviously because of the Oro. But we are not resting on our oars.
Beyond the Oro festival, we are constantly on the alert to make sure that no such thing happens here.” In places like Adamo, Maya and surrounding communities, The Nation gathered that landlords have taken it upon themselves to provide security for their families. A resident of Ijede, who asked not to be named, said the community leaders have hired efficient security guards and equipped them with modern communication equipment and motorcycles for proactive patrol and surveillance in the community.
‘’There is relative peace in our community now because of the proactive security measures put in place by landlords in the area. We have contracted tested security operatives to protect the community from Badoo boys and hoodlums, and we even provided communication gadgets and motorbikes to aid constant patrol of the community, not only in the night but during the day as well. “However, we will not hesitate to serve jungle justice on any member of the gang if they are caught in our community because the police cannot be trusted to prosecute culprits.
’’ A landlord at Maya who identified himself as Dayo said: “We took up the duty of guarding our neighbourhood after we discovered that our night guards were always going to sleep shortly after they rang the bell to show people that they were at work. “How can we depend on such people to provide security for members of the community at this point in time that Badoo is wreaking havoc everywhere in Ikorodu? We began to do this after the gang attacked and killed people at Parafa, which is very close to us. “It will be foolish to rely on such irresponsible night guards because doing so will be at our own peril. What we are doing now is what our people call Oju ni awo fi ngba obe (You take your destiny in your own hand). “It has not been easy as we have to stay awake all night and still go about our duties when the day breaks. But if that will continue to guarantee our safety and those of our families, we will continue to sacrifice sleep to watch over the community.”
His counterpart at Adamo, who gave his name as Saidi, said they have also adopted the same measures to safeguard their families. He said: “If you look around our area, you will see burnt tyres. That is what we use at night to tell anybody trying to invade our community that we are on standby. The group has not really come to our community, but we don’t have to wait till they invade us before we do something. We prefer proactive measures to being reactive. Prevention is better than cure, as you quite know. “ At personal levels, some worried parents, mothers in particular, said they have been more careful about the safety of their children since the menace escalated. “Whenever my husband is not at home, I always make sure that my children and I don’t sleep alone at home. We always go to a neighbour or a relation’s home to avoid unpleasant stories.
I don’t even like talking about this issue or exposing my children to it, because it sinks into one’s subconscious state and is capable of causing psychological problems,” a mother who gave her name as Bunmi said. Another who identified herself as Gbemisola said she had improved her prayer life to provide divine protection for the family. “This menace of Badoo has turned me to a prayer warrior. Prayer is the key as far as I am concerned. Because from what we have seen so far, it appears human efforts are inadequate to tackle this menace. While security men keep physical watch on the community, I will keep vigil to seek divine security for my children.
The Bible says if the watchman watches without the help of God, he does so in vain.” Some other residents who spoke with The Nation said they had gladly looked forward to the end of the group’s reign of terror after the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, spoke against the group’s activities and instructed his men to clamp down on its members. “We heaved a sigh of relief when the CP made that strong statement, hoping that security agencies would immediately swing into action and smash the cult group. Instead, it was the cult group that swung into action when they attacked and wiped out almost a whole family along Grammar area. It was as if they deliberately carried out that attack to tell the CP that they were not moved by his threat.
“Why have the relevant authorities kept silent and waited for things to degenerate to this point? We are tired of all this rubbish and would not spare any suspect. Gone are the days of handing suspects over to security operatives. We will be doing justice to any suspect that we catch henceforth because the relevant authorities have failed us,” a resident who preferred anonymity said. Experts speak A traditional medicine practitioner in Odogunyan area of Ikorodu, Chief Ajele Anipupologun, described the motive behind the Badoo killings as money making rituals. He said: ‘’The reason for the dastardly killing is nothing but money making rituals.
If you notice the victims’ blood or sexual organ (in the case of female victims) are reportedly cleaned with cloth or white handkerchief by their assailants after they have killed or raped them; the blood and semen are used to make money concoctions for unscrupulous people for the purpose of making them rich overnight.’’ Anipupologun’s view was echoed by Chief Sabitu Faseke, a herbalist based in Isawo area of Ikorodu, who also described the killings as ‘’money ritualmotivated.’’ He said: ‘’I think that the public space has become increasingly a difficult terrain for ritual kidnappers to operate, hence, they have unleashed their terror on Ikorodu.
You may have noticed that some years ago, Ikorodu axis of Lagos State was notorious for kidnapping for rituals and not a few people were abducted and killed for ritual purposes while travelling in commercial buses either to Ikorodu or from Ikorodu to parts of Epe or Ogun communities. But that has drastically reduced following the re-jig of police presence and surveillance on the road, hence, the recourse to sneaking into people’s homes and killing them for money-making charms.’’ Reacting to the development, a former Lagos State Police Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav (rtd), blamed the intractable nature of the menace on inadequate number of security men policing the country and supremacy battle between security agencies.
He said: “The police force is not adequately staffed. We have many officers who have retired without new ones replacing them. There are many villages without a single policeman. How can you tackle insecurity in that situation? “The government should see to this. Then both plain clothe and uniformwearing security personnel should be drafted to the area for intelligence gathering. There was a simililar case at Ikoyi when I was a junior officer in Lagos.
We went in there and traced the problem to some families sand nipped the challenge in the bud. The same thing should be done here. “The security agencies should also learn to work together to achieve results. The supremacy battle between them is of no value and cannot take us anywhere. If this issue continues the way it has been, it will make the people to take the law into their own hands and there will be jungle justice in the whole place. This should be avoided.
” Tsav also dismissed any spirituality link to the menace. He said: “The moment a policeman begins to attach spirituality to security issue, he will fail. When you get to where you are supposed to deal with insecurity and you begin to fret because they cut the head of a fowl and other things on the ground, you will fail. Security officers should go and do their job, believing in God and not pandering to fetish thoughts or beliefs.” Speaking with The Nation, a former Minister of Science and Technology, General Sam Momah (rtd) said: ‘’It’s a very dangerous occurrence. Youth gangsterism should be outlawed. Life is sacrosanct and should not be toyed with.
“We need to put our youths to work. There must be mass action. We cannot continue like this. Or for how long should we continue like this? We have to change our value system. Too many people are idle. We need to go into action as a people and the government has to do something speedily about this lasting unemployment. “I don’t know what is stopping the government from allocating hectares of land in each local government area across the country for youth farming. Youths have to be properly engaged. They need to work, earn and live. “As for the youth, they need to work. Youths should learn to walk before they can run.
They should stop this craze for wealth. You have to sow before you can reap in life. For those who are ready to work, they must be given work, while those who do not want to work should be visited with sanctions.” A security expert and Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Mead Security Systems and Technology, Faith Ehiegiator, suggested that a curfew be declared in Ikorodu to restrict people’s movement at night. This, he said, will enable easy police patrol at night. He said the people of Ikorodu should also be made to realise that they are to avoid going to certain areas in the place. Areas that do not look too safe should be avoided.
Then all routes that the Badoo boys have been known to pass through should be investigated. “Surveillance should be beefed up with the involvement of locals, including the night guards. Enlightenment should be enhanced and security officials like the police should be positioned all around strategic areas of Ikorodu.
“They must be friendly enough to attract the confidence of the locals who can volunteer information to them. Residents must be ready to volunteer information about the Badoo boys.’’ Another retired military officer and Chief Executive Officer of August Eye Security Services Ltd, Amb. Okhidievbie Oamien Roy, said: ‘’Cultism is a menace that has today, unfortunately, got as far as the primary school level. Although it started from the universities, those who were dismissed from the universities returned home, became idle and started recruiting from their environments.
“Moreover, JAMB has kept so many youths at home because they had no admission into the universities. So cultism degenerated and these idle people were recruited with promises that cultism can help them get admission into tertiary institutions. ‘’Also, the political class have fuelled cultism. They recruit these idle hands and influenced gangsterism.
The political class became their sponsors, fuelled them with money to eat, buy their illicit drinks and smoke weed. The politicians used them to intimidate political opponents. “Now because of the hardship and recession, there is no free spending like it used to be, so the boys are restive. The political class that have been fuelling these cultists have to stop. Any politician who foments trouble anywhere should be banned, because that is an indication that the politician is harbouring thugs. “And then the people cannot do it alone. The government has to enforce and stop cultism.
The evil Badoo boys must be smoked out.’’ Responding, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Comand, Olarinde Famous -Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said investigations were ongoing to contain the activities of the gang. He said the police had stepped up surveillance in Ikorodu area of the state in order to ensure protection of lives and property.
‘’Investigation is ongoing as regards ritual activities in the area. Increased police visibility and adequate security is in force in the entire axis of Ikorodu,’’ he said. State govt’s intervention The Lagos State government under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has had to take bold steps to improve security in the state since it mounted the saddle. In November 2015, the governor donated security equipment worth N4.765 billion to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos Police Command, for a proactive crime combat. The equipment included over 100 4-door salon cars, 55 Ford Ranger pick-ups, 10 Toyota Land Cruiser pickups, 3 helicopters, 15 BMW power bikes, 15 armoured personnel carriers, 100 motorbikes, Isuzu trucks, two gun boats, revolving lights, siren, public address system, vehicular radio communicators, bullet proof vests, Helmets, handcuffs, police uniforms and kits.
The government has also improved insurance and death benefit schemes for officers. At the handing over of the equipment, Gov Ambode said: “Our Police Command will have its operations significantly driven by the right technology and equipment that will match the emerging sophistication of crime in our contemporary time. Members of the Police Command have been undergoing training to better equip them for the job. We have also rebranded the Rapid Response Squad of the State Police Command to give them a new identity.
“Given the encouraging partnership and support of well-meaning citizens and corporate organisations, we are on course to make our state a safe haven only for law-abiding citizens.” Also in March this year, the state government supported community policing by rebranding Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, with a promise to ensure adequate protection of lives and property in the state. At the unveiling of the rebranded community security outfit held at the Agege Stadium, a total of 177 salon cars and vehicles equipped with modern communication gadgets, 377 motorcycles, 377 helmets, 4,000 bicycles, metal detectors were handed over to the agency. Speaking at the occasion, Ambode said: “Let me, however, make it abundantly clear that the Neighbourhood Safety Corps is not in any way in competition with the regular Police Force.
In actual fact, they are expected to assist and complement the police by providing useful intelligence for crime prevention and to facilitate the arrest of perpetrators of criminal activities in our communities. “Special hotlines have also been created direct to the Executive Secretary and senior management of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency for easy communication with our communities in the event of any crime. “Any valuable information given to the Corps will attract handsome rewards from the State Government. I therefore call on all Lagosians to join hands with us to say a final NO to crime in our state.”
