No fewer than two landlords have been
abducted and three women reportedly raped in a renewed onslaught by some
gunmen on residents of Ibafo, Ogun State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that
suspected militants attacked Gideon village,
Oke Cele and Asiwaju
communities in Ibafo, unleashing mayhem on residents and carting away
property.
Our correspondent was told that the
militants demanded N50m for the release of a landlord in Gideon village,
identified only as Joel, who was abducted in his house.
It was learnt that before the victim was
released, the militants picked another landlord and Joel’s neighbour,
identified as Lucas.
Lucas was said to have been abducted in his car and driven to Ebute, where the car was dumped.
He was ferried away in a boat and had since been missing.
The gunmen were reported to have invaded homes and raped married women in front of their helpless husbands.
Our correspondent was told that on Tuesday, the militants burgled at least three houses and carted away goods in Oke Cele.
Residents and community leaders, who
spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, lamented that
security agencies could not confront the militants, calling for military
bombardment of the creeks.
A resident told PUNCH Metro that the militants usually wrote letters to the communities before attacking them, adding that they moved in groups.
He said, “Before any attack, these
militants would write letters and ask residents to prepare for them.
When they get to their target community, they move in groups of 30s and
50s. They would go from one house to another, raping young ladies and
beating up young men.”
It was learnt that the hoodlums invaded a
house in Asiwaju community last Thursday and raped a nursing mother,
while her husband was forced to fan them.
A community leader said while Joel was kidnapped on July 9, his neighbour, Lucas, was kidnapped on July 16.
He said, “In Gideon village, two
landlords were kidnapped. The first, Mr. Joel, was released on Tuesday
after 10 days in captivity. They demanded N50m for his release; I don’t
know how much was paid after negotiation.
“Lucas was kidnapped last Saturday. He had not been released since then.”
PUNCH Metro gathered that the militants struck again on Tuesday when they burgled three houses in Oke Cele.
“Ibafo is under siege. A policeman told
us that the militants are too powerful for the security agents and only
God can deliver us,” a resident said.
A police source told PUNCH Metro that the militants were on the rampage after the clampdown on their pipeline vandalism trade.
He added that they always attacked soft targets whenever they operated.
He said, “Before the Federal
Government’s clampdown on the activities of the vandals, they always
hobnob with the residents. They eat with them and sleep in their houses.
But after their means of survival was blocked, they decided to turn
against people in the communities.
“They always look around to see where
there is no heavy security presence. They attack and retreat into the
creek. And it is difficult for the security agents to reach them in
their fortress because of the difficult terrain.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the kidnap, adding that Joel had been released.
“We are making efforts to increase security presence in the area and to rescue the second victim,” he added
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