19th January, 2011
The ongoing gang war in Mushin, Lagos State, South-West Nigeria, has claimed the life of an Imam and at least 10 other persons, P.M.NEWS gathered this morning.
Alhaji Sulaiman Raji, the Imam of Olorunsogo Mosque at 5, Elegba Street, Idi-Oro, Mushin, was in the mosque on Sunday at about 6 a.m when he was attacked by some unidentified gunmen.
The residents of the area were warned not to come out because some armed youths who are suspected to belong to cult groups were shooting sporadically. During the melee, the imam was killed while some of the worshippers in the mosque also sustained gunshot wounds.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the late Imam has been buried at his hometown in Kwara State. One of those killed during the battle was identified as Opeyemi Obafemi Lawal, 33.
Opeyemi was said to have gone to Akala area, a notorious trouble spot in Mushin, to see one of his friends when he was shot. He died instantly.
When P.M.NEWS visited Opeyemiâ€
Olamide described her husband as an easy going man who could hardly hurt a fly.
“I cannot fight those who killed my husband. I hand over everything to God to judge,†said Olamide, a hairdresser, who also appealed to well meaning Nigerians to assist her in any form to take care of the two kids.
Some of the residents of the area who spoke with P.M.NEWS on condition of anonymity blamed politicians for the bloody clashes among cult groups and factional members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.
They alleged that politicians in Mushin area were using the groups to unleash terror on innocent citizens.
One of the residents said that there was need for government to provide permanent solution to the menace posed by hoodlums in the area.
“Whenever policemen are drafted to maintain the peace, immediately the policemen depart, the boys would come out again and start shooting and maiming innocent citizens. The government should ensure that policemen and other security agents are permanently deployed to the area to stop the gang war,†the worried resident stated.
— Paul Sanusi & Abosede Agboola
