Suspected Badoo cult members have launched a brutal attack on two churches in Owode Onirin, leaving two babies and a woman dead.
According to reports, the cult members attacked two orthodox churches – Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Crystal Church of Christ parish; and Celestial Church of Christ, Orisun Ayomi parish – both on Anibaba Street, Weigh Bridge, Owode Onirin.
identified simply as Iya Dabira and her nine-month-old baby, Dabira.
A one year-old boy, Ayomide, was killed as well but his mother, who
was also attacked survives but she is in critical condition at the
General Hospital, Ikorodu.
The victims had reportedly attended a vigil at the church where they slept off in the church after the prayer ended at 2am.
The hoodlums reportedly scaled the church’s fence, which bordered an
uncompleted building and entered the house of God, smashing a big stone
on the heads of the four victims.
A member of the church, Tayo Moses, said Dabira died on the spot.
“The three others
were admitted to the general hospital. Dabira’s mother and Ayomide have
been confirmed dead. The only survivor is still unconscious,” he added.
Punch correspondent learnt that the pastor in charge of the parish,
Pastor Rotimi Ajidara, who lived in one of the apartments on the
premises, became aware of the incident around 6am and alerted other
residents.
A resident, Mrs. Tolulope Adelaja, said she participated in the
vigil, adding that she retired to her apartment when the prayer ended
around 2am.
“Around 6am, the
pastor alerted me to the incident. We took the victims in my car to Elam
Hospital. A doctor at the hospital confirmed Dabira dead and referred
others to the general hospital. It was a special vigil and the
congregation was few,” she added.
Another
resident, Oluwadare Anibaba, noted that members found a stone beside
the victims, adding that policemen from the Owode Onirin division took
away the stone.
“When the pastor alerted us, we rushed to the church and met the victims in a pool of blood,” he added.
The pastor in charge of the second church attacked by the gang,
Prophet Taiwo Adesanya, said the invaders stole some members’ property.
He noted that attacks by the gang might escalate to other parts of
the state if stringent security measures were not taken by the
government.
He said, “We
discovered in the morning that strangers had entered our church and
stole mobile phones. Nobody was attacked, but we saw traces of engine
oil on the ground.
“We were wondering about who the robbers were when we saw a crowd
in front of the nearby church. The Lagos State Government should take
proactive measures against these criminals. The gang members are
gradually moving away from Ikorodu.
“They attacked Owode Onirin today, people in Mile 12, Agege, Ikeja and even Victoria Island should be on the alert.”
The Chairman, Idera Tuntun Community Development Association, Owode
Onirin, Ganiyu Ogundipe, urged the police to station a patrol van at a
strategic junction so that they could quickly respond to distress calls.
A
resident, Ayo Folarin, said the attack could have been averted if some
landlords had not stopped a vigilance operation initiated by some youths
on Monday.
He said, “At about
12pm on Sunday, we accosted a boy who was wandering. When we queried
him, he said he was going to visit his brother on Ketu Estate. We
checked a small bag with him and found a handkerchief, lighter, kitchen
knife and four ATM cards.
“As we were questioning him, somebody came and said the boy was
not a Badoo member and that we should release him. A few minutes after
we released him, it occurred to us that we should have handed him over
to the police. We looked everywhere, but we couldn’t find him. We
decided that we would guard the community at night.
“In the evening, we knocked on the gates of all the
residents to come out for the vigil. Only a landlord came out to
encourage us. We made bonfires on the road and secured the community
till dawn. In the morning (Monday), people blamed us for the bonfires
and told us to stop the vigil.”
As the neighborhood discussed the attack, a man who identified himself as a mechanic was accosted by a mob.
He was accused of being a Badoo member and beaten to a pulp until he
was rescued and handed over to the Owode Onirin police division.