Two suspected members of the dreaded Badoo gang were caught and set ablaze by an angry mob in different places during the week.
One of them then was lynched in Igbo-Oluwo area of Ikorodu in Lagos State yesterday, while the other met his tragic end at Ogijo, a border town in Ogun State earlier in the week.
The first suspect, according to sources, was allegedly caught at about 2 a.m at Igbo-Oluwo Estate, Lowa, and was later set ablaze at Jumofak Bus Stop, near Igbo-Oluwo.
It was learnt that the gang member, who allegedly rubbed his body with engine oil, was caught naked with a big stone.
He was said to have run inside an uncompleted building while he was being chased by vigilant residents.
A resident identified as Charles said that the Badoo member, who allegedly refused to reveal his sponsors, begged the mob to spare his life to no avail.
It was said that the angry residents also shrugged off attempts by some community leaders to hand the suspect to the police.
A source said: “The suspect was intercepted while attempting to break into a house in the community in the wee hours of today (yesterday). He was caught naked and smelling of engine oil which he had rubbed on his body in order to avoid being intercepted.
“He attempted to scale the fence into a building when he sighted residents who were keeping vigil over the neighbourhood. He immediately ran away and hid inside an uncompleted building where he was finally apprehended.
“Despite the torture he received from the furious residents, he refused to name his sponsors and instead fruitlessly pleaded for his life. Attempt to hand him over to the police was dismissed by a mob and he was set ablaze.”
Fiendish members of the gang had struck at about 1 am on Wednesday killing four members of a family on Aliu Akinsanya Street in the Olopomeji area of Odogunyan, Ikorodu.
Killed were David Ike, 50, his wife Margret, 28 and two of their sons, Ike David (Jnr) and Mathew David, while Friday, their surviving child, is still in a critical condition at the Ikorodu General Hospital.
The cult gang has been terrorising and killing residents of communities in Ikorodu since 2016 with many of gruesome attacks linked to ritual killings.
The latest attack was the third in two weeks.
It was said that the assailants had scaled the perimeter fence of a house where the family and the owner of the house lived.
A source said the victims’ apartment was sprayed with a tranquiliser or sleep inducing substance before they were attacked.
“After spraying their apartment, the victims fell into a deep sleep and could not resist the vicious members of the gang who smashed their heads with heavy stone, leading to the death of four members of the family, while one of them is still battling with his life at Ikorodu General Hospital,” said a source who did not want to be identified.
The incident sparked an outrage as distraught residents staged a protest at the palace of the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Shotobi, to protest the incessant killings.
The monarch was said to have also held meetings with some community leaders on the way out of the mind-boggling killings.
It was gathered that residents have resorted to vigilante operations to protect themselves.
A number of residents, who spoke said the fear of the gang necessitated the painful vigil to keep watch over their neighbourhood.
A resident, Akin Adebola, said the community can no longer afford to sleep with their eyes closed. He said that residents decided to keep watch over their community in order to contain the gang’s activities.
“We can no longer sleep. All residents now keep vigil to prevent the gang from wrecking more havocs in our community. We set up bonfires by midnight and stayed outside till the wee hours of today (Thursday).
“In spite of the fact that my resumption time at work is 8 am, I had to join my neighbours to keep vigil on our street because I cannot afford to lose my life and children.”
It was gathered that visitors are now being frisked as part of the security measures to prevent criminals from gaining access to the community.
Another resident of Odogunyan, Wale Jelili, said: “You know that the gang has been targeting occupants of buildings in isolated environment or areas and Odogunyan is among a number of Ikorodu communities with isolated areas. Many parts of the community are just coming up and houses are sometimes a few meters apart, hence, the gang has shifted its focus to our neighbourhoods and we have to resist further attacks on this area.
“We have to do this because help is not coming from anywhere, especially security forces. We have suffered enough and can no longer allow a blood-sucking gang to operate freely without being checked. Although, it is painful to deny ourselves sleep at night but it is necessary to save our families from extermination by the Badoo gang.
A source also disclosed that a community vigilante group, Onyabo, has stepped up routine patrol in the community.
“Onyabo operatives have increased their patrols in our neighbourhoods. It appears they have been adequately mobilised with arms and necessary tools to deal with the situation at hand.
Throughout yesterday, they were seen patrolling the area in vehicles and motorbikes. They stopped at every point to assist residents who were carrying out vigilante activities in the community.”
Meanwhile, traditional priests on Thursday carried out rite to cleanse the community of bloodshed and avert further attacks by Badoo cultists.
It was gathered that the traditional rite was carried out peacefully throughout the night till the wee hours of Friday in most parts of Ikorodu.
According to sources, the traditionalists were addressed by the Ikorodu monarch, Oba Kabir Shotobi, at his palace ground before the commencement of the rite.
It will be recalled that about three weeks ago, the gang smashed the head of a pastor in the Lasuwon area of First Gate, while a woman and her children were also killed in the Adamo area of Ikorodu.
It was gathered that another member of the gang was arrested and lynched to death in Ogijo, a town in Ogun State, which shares border with Ikorodu.
The incident, according to sources, the unidentified naked suspect also rubbed liquid substance suspected to be engine oil on his body.
He was said to have led members of a vigilance group that intercepted him to an uncompleted building where he allegedly kept his clothes.
It was learnt that he was found with a heavy stone which he apparently intended to smash on his victims.
Confirming the incident, Police spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, said: “A suspected Badoo cult member was caught at Igbo Oluwo Estate, in Jumofak area of Ikorodu. The suspect was set ablaze and there is an ongoing investigation by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to give report of the recent events in the area (sic).
“Although, if the suspect was alive and handed over to the police, he would have given vital information to aid the police.”
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