Badoo, a gang of ritualists and rapists seems to have overwhelmed the police in Lagos state, killing and maiming flock of residents within Ikorodu and neigbouring communities. For two years running, this pogrom continued in Ibeshe with no fewer than 500 massacred in their sleep, leaving the Police without any clue of the suspects. The police seem to be losing the fight as organised crimes from different communities continue unabated. From incessant cult clashes to Militants’ ruthlessness, killings and kidnappings where several innocent people lose their lives daily and cheaply too.
Before now, the media have been so awash with several cases of organised massacres of families including children by the so-called ‘Badoo’ with little or nothing done by the police and other security agents to stop the menace. The police have not arrested and prosecuted any member of this gang even when series of complaints have been made to the force while helpless residents have continued to lose their lives to Badoo attacks. How this group of traditionally sophisticated ritualists overwhelm the intelligence and technical know-how of the police remain a big question. With different tales of woes in the last one month, hapless and helpless residents have been living in fear, with several others fleeing and abandoning their property and homes for safety in other communities. Now, we have internally displaced people following Badoo operations. Last weekend, the Gberigbe community, a suburb of Ijede, also had a slice of this ugly incidence when the gang forcefully entered a home, killed six persons including two-year old baby, after raping the women among them. The occupants were family members. Recently, a house was attacked in Aleke, Adamo by this group, killing a family of four after raping mother and two daughters to death. While residents were still in shock, a similar incident was said to have occurred at Isiu, along Adamo-Imota road a few days ago where a family of three was also attacked, raped and killed. This massacre has spread to communities like Agbowa, Gberigbe, Adamo, Isiu, Aleke with reports of rape, killings as the faceless people continue in their evil act. Report says a certain traditional ruler, market leader, businessman are involved in the act which according to source has stalled arrest and prosecution of members of this gang. Unfortunately, most of these areas have become ghost communities as many residents continue to flee. Those who remain embark on vigil every night to defend themselves. As a result, cases of jungle justice abound with gory stories of lynching of suspects. According to a resident who pleaded anonymity, “once a suspect is apprehended by the vigilante group, we have warned that we will not spare him because some suspects who have been handed over to the police have regained their freedom and become more deadly. Recently a suspect was said to have confessed involvement in series of serial rapes. He was said to have belonged to a team of four operating in some of these areas mentioned. Surprisingly, some Ikorodu top shots were allegedly mentioned by the suspect who said a white handkerchief is usually used to clean the victims’ private part for delivery to the alleged sponsors at unspecified amount of money. It was gathered that before carrying out the devilish act, the gang would first embark on clandestine surveillance during the day to identify the target houses, mostly where single and married women live. In the night, they would storm the houses, force down the burglary proof, or climb through the ceiling to enter the living room, rape, maim and brutalize occupants. It was also learnt that sometimes, they would wipe the private parts of their victims with handkerchief which they use for money rituals and at other times, they would kill and take the blood of victims for rituals. Reacting to the development, the force Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole said that investigation was on-going, assuring that increased police visibility would be enforced in the area.