The gang of notorious land grabbers wielding dangerous and sophisticated weapons invaded Gberigbe community at about 1 pm on Saturday, attacking legitimate landowners in the area in what they believed was a desperate attempt to scare them away from their possession and steal all their property .
The attack which was reliably gathered happening barely a few months after residents and community leaders cried out to the Lagos State Government, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, following the incessant invasion of their land by a notorious cultist cum land grabber nicknamed Sir K Oluwo and others.
The vicious attack however led to the death of five people namely Lateef Ade (M), Mutiu Balogun (M), Hameed Idris (M) and two others.
When a journalist visited the community on a fact-finding mission it was reported to have narrowly escaped death due the invasion.
According to information received, the tension broke out on Saturday when some gang of land grabbers allegedly led by one Kamarudeen Lamina, popularly known as Sir K Oluwo and one Chief Gbenga Daraloun Mayan stormed the community, attacking their perceived enemies and killing five people in the process.
Resident says the attack was after the arrest of two suspected fake police officers in the Igbokuta/Gberigbe community by a team of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) drafted from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja yesterday.
The two officers, suspected to be impersonating the Special Force Unit of Nigeria Police Force, are alleged to be among over 15 others who were illegally stationed in the community since 19th of May, 2021 by Kamarudeen Lamina and are believed to be the brain behind the crisis leaving many families and residents homeless in the community.
Residents and community leaders believe the Saturday invasion of the community was part of a reprisal move by the Sir K led gang who they say were angered by the arrest of the two fake police officers who are alleged to be part of his gang members.
Condemning the attack, Mr Sunday Jato, a resident in the community, says this is just one of many such terrifying encounters the community have had in the hands of the hoodlums. “A similar incident occurred on May 19 this year when the Sir K Oluwo boys armed with dangerous weapons including machete, knives, guns, etc. stormed our community in Igbokuta, attacking residents and inflicting life-threatening injuries on several people. A lot of us had to flee our homes for safety” he lamented.
According to a community head in Gberigbe, Chief Akorede Oluderu, “we no longer sleep with our two eyes closed due to the many attacks on this community by the notorious land grabbers. We are calling on the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force to look into our ordeal and save us from these Sir K Oluwo thugs. So many lives have been lost.
Another resident of the community,Mrs Yusuf Bisola,the Iya – Oloja ,Gberigbe market who was attacked since May said she has not recovered from the attack.
Mrs.Yusuf,saying since over two years I have been in charge of the market and a residents of the community. What happened on 19th May I can’t explain,we were all in the market around 9 -10am when some groups of boy invaded the market with sophisticated weapons to chase and attack everyone in the market,collected our money and valuables.
” As I was trying to leave the market my grand child came to inform me that our community have been attacked by same group that everybody with their families had ran away, we have been homeless since four months now.
Recounting their loss we need the state government and authority to come to our aids,she said.
Mrs Funmilayo Solomon also a residents appeals to Lagos state for their intervention,our children missed this third term examination due to the crisis and we have no place to reside.
