Gunmen, suspected to be members of a cult, have invaded Anibaba community in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, shooting a resident dead and injuring two others.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the deceased, identified only as Omotayo, was a job seeker, who had finished from a university in Lagos State.
The two other victims were a 74-year-old woman, Gbemisola Mumini, and her granddaughter, four-year-old Timofe, who were reclining in front of their shop.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on Oshinkoya Street at about 9.30pm on Sunday.
Our correspondent learnt that the attackers, who were four men, entered the street on a motorcycle.
They were said to have opened fire on some shops during which Mumini and Timofe were hit.
Not done, the hoodlums reportedly waylaid Omotayo, who was also reclining in front of his mother’s shop, and shot him dead.
The matter was said to have been reported at the Ikorodu Police Division.
When PUNCH Metro visited the street on Monday, there was tension as shop owners refused to come out for business.
Some residents, who gathered in groups to discuss the incident, were observed lamenting Omotayo’s death.
The daughter of the injured woman, Mumini, who did not want her name in print, said the septuagenarian and Timofe had been rushed to a private hospital where they were responding to treatment.
She said, “On Sunday evening, mama had already entered her apartment to sleep. A customer came knocking and said he wanted to buy fufu. Mama came out to attend to him. As she was being paid, the shootings started. The customer ran away. Mama was shot in the neck. A bullet also hit her hand.
“Timofe was shot in the leg. We rushed both of them to a hospital in the area. Mama lost a lot of blood at the scene. Later, I learnt they shot one Omotayo on the street. The man died around 3.30am on Monday.
“The policemen had not been here to make any arrest. Both mama and her grandchild are still in the hospital, receiving treatment.”
When our correspondent got to Omotayo’s apartment, the mother was not available for comment.
A neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity, urged the police to find the killers of the 29-year-old graduate.
“The local vigilance members, known as Onyabo, could not wait at the estate gates; they ran away.
“Later, I learnt Omotayo had been shot dead. His mother sells in the shop in front of the house. He was strolling around the area when the cult boys sighted and shot him. He was not a troublemaker. He had just finished from the university and was looking for a job,” he added.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the attack, adding that the police did not record any death.
She said, “On Sunday, around 11pm, information was received that some hoodlums went to the area and started shooting. A four-year-old girl, Timofe, her grandmother, Mumini, and a man, whose name and address could not yet be ascertained, were shot by the hoodlums.
“A patrol team has visited the scene and the victims have been rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital, where they are responding to treatment. Effort is on to arrest the culprits.”
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