Some residents of Winners Estate in the
Adamo, Ikorodu area of Lagos State have
vacated their houses after two persons
were kidnapped by gunmen in quick
succession in the area.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the first victim, a
pastor, identified only as Patrick, was
kidnapped after a house fellowship.
The gunmen, who were reportedly five in
number, took Patrick away in their canoe,
while the second victim was kidnapped
during an inspection of his construction
site.
Our correspondent gathered that Patrick
was kidnapped on Saturday, May 21, at
about 6.25pm.
It was learnt that the gunmen stormed
Patrick’s apartment, where a house
fellowship had just ended and attempted to
take him away in his car.
However, when the vehicle did not start,
they took him away in a canoe.
The matter was reported at the Imota Police
Division.
It was gathered that four days later, the
kidnappers released Patrick after collecting
an undisclosed ransom, and picked their
second victim on the same day.
Our correspondent was told that the estate
residents had written to the state House of
Assembly, requesting that security be beefed
up in the area.
When PUNCH Metro visited the estate on
Saturday, a resident was seen driving out
with his belongings and family members.
A woman, who gave her name only as
Abimbola, said the resident was fleeing after
a rumour of an imminent attack on the
estate started to spread.
She said, “Patrick’s kidnap was the first in
the estate. Our estate is surrounded by
water. The water flows to Mowo Kekere and
Ijede, Ikorodu areas. Patrick had just
finished coordinating a house fellowship at
his apartment.
“He wanted to start his car and go out when
the gunmen struck. They had been lurking
in a bush opposite his apartment. They took
him away in their canoe. The matter caused
a lot of panic.
“It was four days later that the man was
released after his family paid a ransom. The
pastor has left the estate since the incident.
“The gunmen have informants. They have
sophisticated weapons. We are praying that
development should come to the estate, but
with these attacks, development will be far
from us.
“The gunmen still came last Tuesday. They
were shooting sporadically. Everyone quickly
shut their doors. That has been the situation
around here.”
A bricklayer, who declined to mention his
name, said, “I left the estate on the day of
the shooting. I just came back today
(Saturday). A police station is supposed to
be around here. The one the authorities
started building in neighbouring Agunfoye
area, has not been completed.”
The Chairman of the estate Community
Development Association, Tunji Balogun,
said they had written to a member of the
state House of Assembly representing the
area, adding that the government should
constitute a task force to monitor the
waters around the estate and apprehend
the kidnappers.
He said, “It is true that one of our residents
was kidnapped. He was blindfolded and
taken to the waterside.
“On May 24 when he was released, another
man in Agunfoye was picked up. He has also
been released.
“We have written to the member of the state
House of Assembly representing Ikorodu.
“The gunshots on Tuesday were believed to
be from the same kidnappers. There should
be a task force to monitor this area and
ensure that residents live in peace.”
Our correspondent observed that some
houses in the estate had been deserted and
locked up by their owners.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations
Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, had yet to reply a
text message sent to her phone on the
matter.
Ads Under Post PC