Residents of Sogunro community in Lagos State have been thrown into panic following an alleged attack by armed youths from neighbouring Iwaya community, which reportedly left five people dead and eight others injured.
The Coalition Against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Landgrabbing and Displacement in Lagos State raised the alarm in a statement on Friday, demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of those behind the killings.
The coalition alleged that the violence occurred around midnight between November 1 and 2 after some youths from Iwaya invaded Sogunro over residents’ refusal to provide money for a party.
According to the group, the assailants stormed the community with firearms, axes and other dangerous weapons, killing at least five people and leaving eight others with injuries that required hospital treatment.
It further alleged that the attackers used different methods to kill their victims, including shooting and hacking them with axes. One of the victims was reportedly struck on the neck with an axe, while at least one corpse was allegedly thrown into a canal.
The coalition also accused the attackers of destroying and looting valuable properties during the raid. Expressing concern over the incident, the group faulted the alleged failure to arrest those responsible, despite the reported deaths and the scale of destruction.
It said the attack had created fear among residents, forcing some people living close to the boundary between the two communities to abandon their homes.
According to the coalition, some of those displaced by the violence have taken refuge in boats and the homes of neighbours along the waterfront to avoid possible further attacks.
The group called on the police to launch an immediate investigation, apprehend those involved and ensure their prosecution, while demanding adequate security to prevent another outbreak of violence.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Lagos State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, had yet to respond to a message sent to her.