Suspected hoodlums armed with guns and cutlasses, reportedly attacked motorists plying the Lekki-Epe Expressway and mechanics in a shop in the Lakowe area of Ajah, dispossessing their victims of valuables and injured many in the attack that occurred on Thursday.

Some members of the gang were identified as Saheed, aka Ejo, said to be the son of a traditional ruler (Baale) of a community in the area; Sima, Taofeek, Alaba and one Tunde, aka Oka.

Apparently, residents had been indoors while an annual cultural rites, aka Oro, was being observed by the community on the fateful day.

That was when the masterminds behind the crime, led by Oka, cashed in on the curfew to attack the mechanics and motorists found outside and apparently, it isn’t a one time thing.

A mechanic, Segun Borokini, revealed that the incident usually occurred whenever the rite was being held in the community. He said the gang injured and robbed him of N150,000 and a phone, adding that he reported the incident at the Elemoro Police Division.

He said, “They beat me up and collected my phone and N150,000 that a customer just gave to me.

“I reported to the police and they told me to go and treat myself first. When I went back today (Thursday), I was told to pay N10,000 to facilitate the arrest of the suspects. I left because I did not have any money to pay.”

Borokini’s partner, Ibrahim, said he lost N17,000 appealing to the police to put an end to the attack.

He said, “They gave me lashes of cane and I had to flee. I did not know how my N17,000 got lost in the process.”

The Baale was invited to the station and asked to name the miscreants.

Ada Igboanugo