Some residents of the Abule Taylor community in the Abule Egba area of Lagos State, have cried out over the activities of criminals within the community.
According to them, the area has been witnessing an increase in the activities of criminals who fire gunshots every midnight in the area.
Mr Agboola Baba-Ayo, a resident, said they had been having it tough during the nights, adding that in most of the nights it had frequent shooting which the criminals used to burgled houses.
“I was alerted by a neighbour two days ago at midnight following the sound of gunshots. At this point it became difficult to sleep again.
“It has been horrible for our neighbourhood,’’ Baba-Ayo told 108scoop.com.
He added that the criminals forcefully break into residents’ homes and cart away their belongings.
Mazi Paul Ugwu, another resident, said he had been robbed in one of the activities of the criminals, saying his children are now scared to sleep in his apartment for fear of the armed robbers.
When contacted, the Chairman, Abule Taylor Community Development Association, Oluwaniyi Emmanuel, confirmed the situation, saying they had engaged some vigilantes to provide some form of security.
He said that the police find it difficult to come to the area at night when called upon.
“The house opposite the open space where we hold our CDA meetings was recently broken into by burglars who carted away all the property. The principal culprit is from Abiodun Aina Street. He has been disowned by his mother.
“Also, armed robbers do attack and extort those who use Automated Teller Machines in the area. The kiosks where alcoholic drinks are sold in the area are becoming a safe haven for criminals who launch operations from the base.
“We’ve complained to the Lagos State Government, but no serious action was taken. The joint CDA wrote a letter to the Commissioner of Police to deploy officers in the area. However, what the officers were doing was checking vehicle particulars,” Emmanuel said.
Also, the CDA Assistant Chairman, Okolo Chukwuedo, said, “There was a time a man was killed on the street where the CDA chairman lives. His house was broken into by the people who shot him dead.”
Efforts made to speak with the police Public Relations Officer in the state proved abortive.
