Militants Attack In Lagos: 3 Police Officers In Coma, Several Residents Flee

Many residents of Yewa community in Ishawo area of Ikorodu, Lagos State, have fled their homes following the killing of an army Captain and four policemen by suspected militants.

Some landlords who spoke on Monday, lamented that despite assurances of improved security after the incident, security agencies have left them to their fate.

Punch learnt that the Owotu Divisional Police Officer, CSP Obiora Ejiofor, who sustained gunshot injuries in the leg, had been transferred to a general hospital in the state.

It was reported that an Army Captain identified simply as Mohammed, 4 policemen and a resident were killed after suspected militants attacked the community.

The operatives were said to have rescued nine kidnapped victims and were returning in a patrol van when they were ambushed and shot dead by the militants.

Two unidentified men were burnt to death by the militants, who also set fire to the patrol van.

A source identified the deceased policemen as Inspector Iroagbalachi Godwin (aka Apostle), Inspector Pemi Francis, Sergeant Dembo Mamodu, and Sergeant Udoh Okoro.

He said three others were in a coma, adding that they were Sergeant Alex Uganna, one Sergeant Orumo, and another unidentified sergeant.

“The three policemen sustained bullet wounds and are in a critical condition. The bullet has been removed from the DPO’s leg. He is in a stable condition. All the policemen were from the Owutu division,” he said.

A landlord and member of the security committee of the Yewa community, Bisiriyu Fatai, recalled seeing the operatives before they were killed.

He said the chief security officer of the community, Mr. Osaze Omoregbe, was among those killed, adding that seven people died in the incident.

He said, “I was asleep on Saturday night when I got a call from another landlord that the militants were in the community.

“We called the Owutu DPO and he responded immediately. When the DPO heard the heavy gunfire, he called the army for reinforcement.

“The slain Captain, the policemen, together with the DPO, met at a junction near my house. The military officer led them to the scene of the kidnap. That was around 12.30am on Sunday. The next thing we heard were heavy gunfire. It went on till around 3am. When we tried to call the CSO that followed them there, his number was not reachable. That was when we knew something had gone wrong.

“Around 6am, we went to the spot and saw seven corpses on the ground, including the four policemen, the Captain, our CSO and another resident we have not yet identified.”

Fatai said after the incident, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, visited the community and promised to beef up security.

He, however, lamented that they had yet to see any policeman, adding that out of the 200 landlords in the community, only 15 remained.

“We have been keeping vigils with the local security men that we hired with our money. There is no single military officer or policeman in our community. I have not slept for the past three days. People are scared and that is why they have been leaving in droves. Over 90 per cent of residents have left,” he added.