Residents panic as election death toll rises in Lagos

The Ogudu area on Monday

Panic has spread through the Ogudu Ojota area of Lagos State after some hoodlums, suspected to be working for a political party, went on the rampage.

Three people have now been reported dead in the mayhem which started on Sunday evening.

Shops and stalls were under lock and key on Monday as residents feared the possibility of a reprisal.

Arguments and discussions relating to the elections were discouraged at newsstands in Ojota due to the volatility of the area.

We had reported that one person was confirmed dead after chaos broke out in the community.

Our correspondent also reported that property was destroyed by the hoodlums who trooped out as soon as the Independent National Electoral Commission announced the results of the elections in the state.

Investigations by our correspondent on Monday showed that the death toll had increased to three.

PUNCH Metro learnt that among the dead was a tailor at the Ojota bus stop, identified simply as Femi, who was shot dead after he rushed out of a viewing centre where he was watching a football match.

The identities of the two other persons, who lost their lives, had not been ascertained as of press time.

Our correspondent learnt that many residents were attacked with machetes by the hoodlums, who also entered into houses, searching for targets.

A resident, Jimoh Isaiah, said some of the hoodlums used sophisticated weapons.

He said, “The guns were sophisticated. Femi was killed beside my house. He was watching a football match when he received a call that there was a fight.

“People asked him not to go, but he rushed out. The hoodlums saw him and opened fire on him.”

Isaiah also told our correspondent that he sustained injuries while running from danger.

Another resident, who did not give his name, said the hoodlums descended on a house where members of a rival political party were living.

“They destroyed everything there. They damaged people’s shops and that is why people are afraid and have refused to open their shops,” he said.

Our correspondent learnt from a source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity that the chaos started after the hoodlums felt that their candidate was losing out to his opponent.

He added that the hoodlums subsequently went on the rampage.

At a newsstand in the area, a reader raised a discussion about the elections,but a resident shouted him down.

He said, “Please we don’t want any argument here. In fact, just buy newspaper and leave this place.

“The house opposite this place was attacked on Sunday because of this election.

“We don’t want any more trouble here. They killed three people and injured many others.”

The spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party, Taofik Gani, said the party was aware of the development.

He said, “I was called yesterday that our candidate in the area was leading at the polls and that the INEC officials were being prevented from reading the final results.

“The caller told me that the PDP team was attacked by some hoodlums. These hoodlums attacked only the PDP members.”

The Assistant Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Biodun Suleiman, said,“The PDP candidate thought he had won, but when the INEC announced, he lost.

“His supporters attacked our members before going on the rampage. They killed three members of our party.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said one person died.